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People group profile · PG011653

The Wolaitta of Ethiopia

The Wolaitta of Ethiopia, numbering about 3,080,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnic group living between the Belati and Omo rivers in Ethiopia.

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

Pray for the WolaittaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Ethiopia
Population
3,080,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Omotic
Primary language
Wolaytta (wal)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
30% or Greater but Less than 40%
GSEC
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority
Significantly Reached People Group
Also known as
Soddo
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa
Location
Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Wolaytta zone, Lake Abaya area

Where they live

Gospel status

The Wolaitta are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Wolaitta

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Protestantism · Christianity

71% adherents

Primary language

Wolaytta · Ta-Ne-Omotic family

100% speak Wolaytta

Gospel resources in Wolaytta

  • Bible available, published 2003
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not 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 Wolaitta

  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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