People group profile · PG042198
The Jola of Guinea-Bissau
The Jola of Guinea-Bissau, numbering about 11,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnic group indigenous to the Lower Casamance region of Senegal and neighboring parts of the Gambia.
They are a diaspora people in the Atlantic-Jola people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Jola-Fonyi.
Fast facts
- Country
- Guinea-Bissau
- Population
- 11,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Atlantic-Jola
- Primary language
- Jola-Fonyi (dyo)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- 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
- Western Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Jola 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 Jola
- 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
Primary language
Jola-Fonyi · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Jola-Fonyi
Gospel resources in Jola-Fonyi
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Jola-Fogny)
Bibles
- 2011 Bible Society in the Gambia · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Jola
- 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.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Jola in other countries
The same people is also reported in 4 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jola | Senegal | 389,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Jola-Fonyi | Gambia | 148,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Jola | Mauritania | 5,400 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Jola-Fogny | France | 100 | Unengaged and Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.