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People group profile · PG014886

The Swahili of Rwanda

The Swahili of Rwanda, numbering about 20,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a diaspora community of Swahili (Waungwana) in Rwanda.

They are a diaspora people in the Bantu, Swahili people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Swahili (individual language).

Pray for the SwahiliPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Rwanda
Population
20,500
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Bantu, Swahili
Primary language
Swahili (individual language) (swh)
Primary religion
Sunni Islam
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Swahili are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Swahili

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Sunni Islam · Islam

100% adherents

Primary language

Swahili (individual language) · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Swahili (individual language)

Gospel resources in Swahili (individual language)

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

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Swahili

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

Download a prayer guide

Swahili in other countries

The same people (ROP3 109644) is reported in 16 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Coastal SwahiliTanzania1,095,000Engaged yet Unreached
Arabized AfricansSaudi Arabia554,000Unengaged and Unreached
SwahiliUnited States82,000No Longer Unreached
Central SwahiliCongo, Democratic Republic of the64,500Unengaged and Unreached
Coastal SwahiliKenya60,000Engaged yet Unreached
Bantu SwahiliSomalia55,000Unengaged and Unreached
SwahiliZambia39,000No Longer Unreached
SwahiliSudan34,000Unengaged and Unreached
Black AfricansUnited Arab Emirates30,500Engaged yet Unreached
SwahiliMozambique18,500Engaged yet Unreached
SwahiliBurundi14,500Unengaged and Unreached
SwahiliMayotte10,500Engaged yet Unreached
SwahiliCanada9,300Unengaged and Unreached
SwahiliUganda5,500Unengaged and Unreached
SwahiliComoros1,200Engaged yet Unreached
SwahiliSeychelles600Engaged yet Unreached

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