People group profile · PG015046
The Sumbwa of Tanzania
The Sumbwa of Tanzania, numbering about 553,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu people who migrated from western Tanzania to the north-central region, conquering the local population and establishing their own chiefdom around Bukombe and Kahama districts, evolving from hunters into farmers reliant on cotton as a cash crop.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Tanzania people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Sumbwa.
Fast facts
- Country
- Tanzania
- Population
- 553,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Tanzania
- Primary language
- Sumbwa (suw)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- 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
- Geita region: Bukombe district; Kagera and Mwanza regions; small area in Tabora region
Where they live
Gospel status
The Sumbwa 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 Sumbwa
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
53% adherents
Primary language
Sumbwa · Atlantic-Congo family
45% speak Sumbwa
Gospel resources in Sumbwa
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Sumbwa
- 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.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.