People group profile · PG015052
The Tongwe of Tanzania
The Tongwe of Tanzania, numbering about 63,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Tanzania.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Tanzania people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Tongwe.

Fast facts
- Country
- Tanzania
- Population
- 63,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Tanzania
- Primary language
- Tongwe (tny)
- Primary religion
- Roman Catholicism
- 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
- Location
- Kigoma region: Kigoma district; Kigoma and Rukwa regions east, small groups (20%–30% of the population) in Nguruka and Uvinza villages; Lake Tanganyika west shore
Where they live
Gospel status
The Tongwe 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 Tongwe
- 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
19% adherents
Primary language
Tongwe · Atlantic-Congo family
58% speak Tongwe
Gospel resources in Tongwe
- 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 Tongwe
- 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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