People group profile · PG015056
The Vinza of Tanzania
The Vinza of Tanzania, numbering about 33,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Bantu people of Uvinza District near Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, historically organized around salt-spring mining and long-distance salt trade until German forces defeated their chief Rulenege and annexed the area in the late 1800s.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Lakes people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Swahili (individual language).
Fast facts
- Country
- Tanzania
- Population
- 33,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Lakes
- Primary language
- Swahili (individual language) (swh)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- 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 rural district, Uvinza town area west; Rukwa and Tabora regions
Where they live
Gospel status
The Vinza 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 Vinza
- 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
75% adherents
Primary language
Swahili (individual language) · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Swahili (individual language)
Gospel resources in Swahili (individual language)
- Bible available, published 2017
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- Magdalena (Swahili, Tanzania)
- The Savior (Swahili, Kenya)
Bibles
- Habari Njema (Interconfessional) · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Vinza
- 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.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
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