People group profile · PG042737
The Tirma of Ethiopia
The Tirma of Ethiopia, numbering about 44,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Surmic-speaking subgroup of the Suri (Surma) people of southwestern Ethiopia. The Tirma are agro-pastoralists whose culture centers on cattle, cultivation, clan organization, and traditions shared with other Suri communities.
They are an indigenous people in the Nilotic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Tirmaga-Chai Suri.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 44,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Nilotic
- Primary language
- Tirmaga-Chai Suri (suq)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- 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
- Also known as
- Tirmaga, Timaga
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Bench-Maji zone, toward Sudan border; west of Mizan Teferi
Where they live
Gospel status
The Tirma 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 Tirma
- 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
50% adherents
Primary language
Tirmaga-Chai Suri · Surmic family
100% speak Tirmaga-Chai Suri
Gospel resources in Tirmaga-Chai Suri
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Tirma
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
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