People group profile · PG014299
The Yalunka of Sierra Leone
The Yalunka of Sierra Leone, numbering about 54,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are Mande-speaking original inhabitants of Guinea's Futa Jallon since the 11th century, who founded the rival Solima Yalunka state at Falaba after resisting 18th-century Fula jihads, before falling to Samori's forces in the 1880s.
They are an indigenous people in the Malinke people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Yalunka.
Fast facts
- Country
- Sierra Leone
- Population
- 54,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Malinke
- Primary language
- Yalunka (yal)
- 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 ?
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Yalunka 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 Yalunka
- 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
99% adherents
Primary language
Yalunka · Mande family
100% speak Yalunka
Gospel resources in Yalunka
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Yalunka)
Bibles
- 2008 Pioneer Bible Translators · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Yalunka
- 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.
Yalunka in other countries
The same people is also reported in 3 other countries.
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