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People group profile · PG014942

The Rwandese of Tanzania

The Rwandese of Tanzania, numbering about 23,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Rwandan community in Tanzania descended from migrants and refugees from Rwanda who settled mainly in northwestern Tanzania and have retained a distinct Rwandan heritage.

They are a diaspora people in the Bantu, Central-Lakes people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Kinyarwanda.

Pray for the RwandesePrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Tanzania
Population
23,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Bantu, Central-Lakes
Primary language
Kinyarwanda (kin)
Primary religion
Roman Catholicism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Rwandese 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 Rwandese

  • 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

Roman Catholicism · Christianity

Primary language

Kinyarwanda · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Kinyarwanda

Gospel resources in Kinyarwanda

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not 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 Rwandese

  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

Rwandese in other countries

The same people is also reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
RwandeseUganda387,000Unengaged and Unreached

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