People group profile · PG012243
The Malayali of the United Arab Emirates
The Malayali of the United Arab Emirates, numbering about 1,550,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic community from the Indian state of Kerala whose presence in the United Arab Emirates stems from longstanding migration and employment ties across the Arabian Gulf.
They are a diaspora people in the Malayali people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Malayalam.
Fast facts
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Population
- 1,550,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Malayali
- Primary language
- Malayalam (mal)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Malayali 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Malayali
- 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
36% adherents
Primary language
Malayalam · Dravidian family
100% speak Malayalam
Gospel resources in Malayalam
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Bible League International · audio, text
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version ™ · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Malayali
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- 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.
Malayali in other countries
The same people is also reported in 11 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malayali | India | 461,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Kuwait | 318,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Oman | 219,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Malaysia | 206,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Malayali | United States | 166,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Malayali | Qatar | 113,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Bahrain | 60,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Singapore | 36,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Canada | 32,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Myanmar | 31,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Malayali | Maldives | 950 | No Longer Unreached |
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