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People group profile · PG011613

The Macha of Ethiopia

The Macha of Ethiopia, numbering about 7,195,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are one of the primary subgroups of the Oromo peoples of northern Ethiopia.

They are an indigenous people in the Oromo people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak West Central Oromo.

Pray for the MachaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Ethiopia
Population
7,195,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Oromo
Primary language
West Central Oromo (gaz)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet 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
Widespread

Where they live

Gospel status

The Macha 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Macha

  • 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

Sunni Islam · Islam

55% adherents

Primary language

West Central Oromo · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak West Central Oromo

Gospel resources in West Central Oromo

  • Bible available, published 1998
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Macha

  1. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  2. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  3. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  4. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.

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