People group profile · PG014234
The Jola of Senegal
The Jola of Senegal, numbering about 389,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnic group indigenous to the Lower Casamance region of Senegal and neighboring parts of the Gambia.
They are an indigenous people in the Atlantic-Jola people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Jola-Fonyi.
Fast facts
- Country
- Senegal
- Population
- 389,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Atlantic-Jola
- Primary language
- Jola-Fonyi (dyo)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- 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 Africa, Africa
- Location
- Casamance River south, strip just north of Senegal-Gambia border north, west by Diouloulou-Marigot tributary, east by Soungrougrou River, Bignona area; east and southeast of Ziguinchor
Where they live
Gospel status
The Jola 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 Jola
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
62% adherents
Primary language
Jola-Fonyi · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Jola-Fonyi
Gospel resources in Jola-Fonyi
- Bible available, published 2012
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Jola-Fogny)
Bibles
- 2011 Bible Society in the Gambia · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Jola
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Jola in other countries
The same people is also reported in 4 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jola-Fonyi | Gambia | 148,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Jola | Guinea-Bissau | 11,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Jola | Mauritania | 5,400 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Jola-Fogny | France | 100 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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