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People group profile · PG011604

The Kebena of Ethiopia

The Kebena of Ethiopia, numbering about 86,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are one of two dialects of Alaba-K'abeena, a language of Ethiopia.

They are an indigenous people in the Sidama people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Alaba-K’abeena.

Pray for the KebenaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Ethiopia
Population
86,500
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Sidama
Primary language
Alaba-K’abeena (alw)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa
Location
Oromia region: Rift Valley southwest of Lake Shala; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kebena are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Kebena

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Sunni Islam · Islam

97% adherents

Primary language

Alaba-K’abeena · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Alaba-K’abeena

Gospel resources in Alaba-K’abeena

  • Bible available, published 2017
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

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

Pray for the Kebena

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

Download a prayer guide

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