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People group profile · PG015286

The Antefasy of Madagascar

The Antefasy of Madagascar, numbering about 209,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are considered by some African ethnologists to be a subgroup of the Antaisaka (100376) people of Madagascar.

They are an indigenous people in the Malagasy people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Plateau Malagasy.

Pray for the AntefasyPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Antefasy people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Antefasy

Fast facts

Country
Madagascar
Population
209,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Malagasy
Primary language
Plateau Malagasy (plt)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, Concentrated CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Antefasy 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 but there has been initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting

Next steps for the Antefasy

  • 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

80% adherents

Primary language

Plateau Malagasy · Austronesian family

100% speak Plateau Malagasy

Gospel resources in Plateau Malagasy

  • Bible available, published 2011
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Antefasy

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  2. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  3. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  4. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.

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