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People group profile · PG012138

The Shwai of Sudan

The Shwai of Sudan, numbering about 8,800 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Sudan.

They are an indigenous people in the Nuba Mountains people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Shwai.

Pray for the ShwaiPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Sudan
Population
8,800
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Nuba Mountains
Primary language
Shwai (shw)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Northern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Shwai 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 Shwai

  • 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

80% adherents

Primary language

Shwai · Heibanic family

59% speak Shwai

Gospel resources in Shwai

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

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

Pray for the Shwai

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

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