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People group profile · PG011621

The Shakacho of Ethiopia

The Shakacho of Ethiopia, numbering about 127,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic group native to south‑western Ethiopia, primarily inhabiting what is now the Sheka Zone in the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region.

They are an indigenous people in the Omotic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Shekkacho.

Pray for the ShakachoPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Ethiopia
Population
127,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Omotic
Primary language
Shekkacho (moy)
Primary religion
Animism
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
Also known as
Shakacho, Šekki noono
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa
Location
Oromia and Gambela regions; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Maasha area

Where they live

Gospel status

The Shakacho 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 Shakacho

  • 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

Animism · Ethnoreligion

60% adherents

Primary language

Shekkacho · Ta-Ne-Omotic family

100% speak Shekkacho

Gospel resources in Shekkacho

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

Films

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

Pray for the Shakacho

  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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