People group profile · PG015157
The Dhimba of Angola
The Dhimba of Angola, numbering about 29,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a semi-nomadic pastoralist people who migrated along the Kunene River in the 1500s-1600s to settle southwestern Angola and Namibia, impoverished by Nama cattle raiders in the mid-1800s and targeted alongside the Herero in Germany's 1904-1908 genocide.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Southwest people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Zemba.

Fast facts
- Country
- Angola
- Population
- 29,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Southwest
- Primary language
- Zemba (dhm)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Middle Africa, Africa
- Location
- Cunene and Huíla provinces: near Namibia border
Where they live
Gospel status
The Dhimba 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Dhimba
- 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
Primary language
Zemba · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Zemba
Gospel resources in Zemba
- Bible available, published 2013
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Dhimba
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
Dhimba in other countries
The same people (ROP3 102579) is reported in 1 other country.
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