People group profile · PG011645
The Awi of Ethiopia
The Awi of Ethiopia, numbering about 1,035,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an Awngi-speaking Cushitic people of northwestern Ethiopia whose cultural heritage is rooted in the broader Agaw tradition and whose religious life is predominantly centered in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
They are an indigenous people in the Agau people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Awngi.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 1,035,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Agau
- Primary language
- Awngi (awn)
- Primary religion
- Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and 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
- Amhara region: Awi and North Gonder zones, southwest of Lake Tana; Benishangul-Gumuz region: Metekel zone
Where they live
Gospel status
The Awi 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 Awi
- 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
Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
80% adherents
Primary language
Awngi · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Awngi
Gospel resources in Awngi
- Bible available, published 2016
- 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 Awi
- 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.
- 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.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.