People group profile · PG014978
The Makonde of Tanzania
The Makonde of Tanzania, numbering about 1,985,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a central Bantu ethnic group indigenous to southeast Tanzania and northern Mozambique.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Makua-Yao people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Makonde.
Fast facts
- Country
- Tanzania
- Population
- 1,985,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Makua-Yao
- Primary language
- Makonde (kde)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Mtwara region: Mtwara rural, Mtwara urban, Newala, and Tandahomba districts; north into Lindi region
Where they live
Gospel status
The Makonde 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 Makonde
- 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Makonde · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Makonde
Gospel resources in Makonde
- Bible available, published 2014
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 2013, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc · video, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Makonde
- 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.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Makonde in other countries
The same people (ROP3 106097) is reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makonde | Mozambique | 703,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Makonde | Mayotte | 2,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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