People group profile · PG011601
The Kafa of Ethiopia
The Kafa of Ethiopia, numbering about 1,425,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnic group indigenous to the forested highlands of southwestern Ethiopia, primarily in the Kaffa Zone around the town of Bonga. They are best known historically as the people of the former Kingdom of Kaffa.
They are an indigenous people in the Omotic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Kafa.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 1,425,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Omotic
- Primary language
- Kafa (kbr)
- Primary religion
- Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Bonga town area; border areas in Oromia region
Where they live
Gospel status
The Kafa are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Kafa
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
45% adherents
Primary language
Kafa · Ta-Ne-Omotic family
94% speak Kafa
Gospel resources in Kafa
- Bible available, published 2020
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Kafa)
Bibles
- 2010 SIM · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Kafa
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
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