People group profile · PG015666
The Ndau of Zimbabwe
The Ndau of Zimbabwe, numbering about 593,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Shona-related people of southeastern Zimbabwe's Chipinge and Chimanimani districts first documented by Portuguese missionaries in the 1500s, whose ChiNdau language and identity saw a revival after gaining constitutional recognition in 2013.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Shona people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ancestor Worship, and they primarily speak Ndau.
Fast facts
- Country
- Zimbabwe
- Population
- 593,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Shona
- Primary language
- Ndau (ndc)
- Primary religion
- Ancestor Worship
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Ndau 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 Ndau
- 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
Ancestor Worship · Ethnoreligion
55% adherents
Primary language
Ndau · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Ndau
Gospel resources in Ndau
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Ndau)
Bibles
- 1999 Bible Society of Zimbabwe · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Ndau
- 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.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Ndau in other countries
The same people (ROP3 107152) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ndau | Mozambique | 249,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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