People group profile · PG015684
The Venda of Zimbabwe
The Venda of Zimbabwe, numbering about 119,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are ancestrally linked to the Karanga Shona founders of Zimbabwe's Thulamela kingdom, a hilltop stone capital above the Luvuvhu River flourishing from roughly 1240 to 1700, whose rulers were forebears of the later Venda kingdom across the South African border.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Southeastern people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Venda.

Fast facts
- Country
- Zimbabwe
- Population
- 119,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Southeastern
- Primary language
- Venda (ven)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Minimally Reached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Venda are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Venda
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
58% adherents
Primary language
Venda · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Venda
Gospel resources in Venda
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Venda)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Venda
- 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.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Venda in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110546) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venda | South Africa | 1,255,000 | No Longer Unreached |
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