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People group profile · PG009550

The Zayein Karen of Myanmar

The Zayein Karen of Myanmar, numbering about 14,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of the Karen, an ethnic group indigenous to Kayin State in southeastern Myanmar.

They are an indigenous people in the Karen people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Zayein Karen.

Pray for the Zayein KarenPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Zayein Karen people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Karen, Zayein

Fast facts

Country
Myanmar
Population
14,500
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Karen
Primary language
Zayein Karen (kxk)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
15% or Greater but Less than 20%
GSEC
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority
Moderately Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Zayein Karen are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Zayein Karen

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Animism · Ethnoreligion

50% adherents

Primary language

Zayein Karen · Sino-Tibetan family

100% speak Zayein Karen

Gospel resources in Zayein Karen

  • Bible not available
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Zayein Karen

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  2. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  3. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  4. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.

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