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People group profile · PG015658

The Kalanga of Zimbabwe

The Kalanga of Zimbabwe, numbering about 282,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu ethnic group primarily found in southwestern Zimbabwe and northern Botswana, with smaller populations in South Africa. They are one of the oldest and most historically significant communities in Southern Africa.

They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Shona people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Kalanga.

Pray for the KalangaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Zimbabwe
Population
282,000
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Bantu, Shona
Primary language
Kalanga (kck)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kalanga 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 Kalanga

  • 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

Ethnoreligion

60% adherents

Primary language

Kalanga · Atlantic-Congo family

50% speak Kalanga

Gospel resources in Kalanga

  • Bible available, published 2018
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not 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 Kalanga

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

Download a prayer guide

Kalanga in other countries

The same people (ROP3 104460) is reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
KalangaBotswana214,000Engaged yet Unreached

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