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People group profile · PG017476

The Saraguro Highland Quichua of Ecuador

The Saraguro Highland Quichua of Ecuador, numbering about 45,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Ecuador.

They are an indigenous people in the Quechua people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Loja Highland Quichua.

Pray for the Saraguro Highland QuichuaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Ecuador
Population
45,500
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
Quechua
Primary language
Loja Highland Quichua (qvj)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
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
South America, Americas
Location
Azuay province; El Oro province: Portovelo and Zeruma cantons; Loja province: Sarragaro area; Zamora-Chinchipe province: Yacuambi canton, sizable community in Zamora city; southern highlands

Where they live

Gospel status

The Saraguro Highland Quichua 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 Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Saraguro Highland Quichua

  • 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

Ethnoreligion

Primary language

Loja Highland Quichua · Quechuan family

70% speak Loja Highland Quichua

Gospel resources in Loja Highland Quichua

  • Bible available, published 1986
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

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

Pray for the Saraguro Highland Quichua

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

Download a prayer guide

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