People group profile · PG014948
The Iraqw of Tanzania
The Iraqw of Tanzania, numbering about 979,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a people of the Central Highlands of Tanzania in East Africa.
They are an indigenous people in the Rift people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Iraqw.
Fast facts
- Country
- Tanzania
- Population
- 979,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Rift
- Primary language
- Iraqw (irk)
- Primary religion
- Roman Catholicism
- 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
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Manyara region: Mbulu district, highlands southwest of Arusha in the north; Singida region near Manyara border; small areas in Arusha and Dodoma regions
Where they live
Gospel status
The Iraqw 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 Iraqw
- 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
Roman Catholicism · Christianity
60% adherents
Primary language
Iraqw · Afro-Asiatic family
65% speak Iraqw
Gospel resources in Iraqw
- Bible available, published 2011
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Iraqw)
Bibles
- 2003 Bible Society of Tanzania · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Iraqw
- 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.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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