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People group profile · PG042734

The Shinasha of Ethiopia

The Shinasha of Ethiopia, numbering about 86,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an Omotic-speaking people of northwestern Ethiopia living in the Blue Nile borderlands. Traditionally agricultural, they maintain a distinct Boro (Shinasha) language and culture and are today predominantly associated with Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.

They are an indigenous people in the Omotic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Boro (Ethiopia).

Pray for the ShinashaPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Shinasha people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Shinasha

Fast facts

Country
Ethiopia
Population
86,500
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Omotic
Primary language
Boro (Ethiopia) (bwo)
Primary religion
Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity
Strategic Progress Index
Unengaged and Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa
Location
Benishangul-Gumuz region: Metekel zone, near Blue Nile river

Where they live

Gospel status

The Shinasha are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Shinasha

  • Pray that God would send workers to this people group
  • Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
  • Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice

Primary religion

Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity · Christianity

80% adherents

Primary language

Boro (Ethiopia) · Ta-Ne-Omotic family

60% speak Boro (Ethiopia)

Gospel resources in Boro (Ethiopia)

  • Bible available, published 2018
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

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

Pray for the Shinasha

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

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