People group profile · PG014872
The Turkana of Kenya
The Turkana of Kenya, numbering about 1,415,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Nilotic ethnolinguistic group indigenous to Turkana County in northwest Kenya.
They are an indigenous people in the Nilotic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Turkana.
Fast facts
- Country
- Kenya
- Population
- 1,415,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Nilotic
- Primary language
- Turkana (tuv)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Samburu and Turkana counties: west and south of Lake Turkana
Where they live
Gospel status
The Turkana 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 Turkana
- 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
52% adherents
Primary language
Turkana · Nilotic family
100% speak Turkana
Gospel resources in Turkana
- Bible available, published 2018
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2001 Bible Society of Kenya · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Turkana
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- 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.
Turkana in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110303) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkana | South Sudan | 4,900 | Engaged yet Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.