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People group profile · PG046601

The Eastern Pwo Karen of Myanmar

The Eastern Pwo Karen of Myanmar, numbering about 1,270,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of the Karen, an ethnic group indigenous to Kayin State in southeastern Myanmar.

They are an indigenous people in the Karen people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Pwo Eastern Karen.

Pray for the Eastern Pwo KarenPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Myanmar
Population
1,270,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Karen
Primary language
Pwo Eastern Karen (kjp)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Pioneer Unreached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Eastern Pwo Karen 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 Eastern Pwo Karen

  • 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

Animism · Ethnoreligion

51% adherents

Primary language

Pwo Eastern Karen · Sino-Tibetan family

100% speak Pwo Eastern Karen

Gospel resources in Pwo Eastern Karen

  • Bible available, published 1926
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

  • JESUS (Karen, Pwo Eastern)

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

Pray for the Eastern Pwo Karen

  1. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  2. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  3. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  4. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.

Download a prayer guide

Karen, Pwo Eastern in other countries

The same people (ROP3 104659) is reported in 2 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
KarenAustralia4,200Engaged yet Unreached
Pwo KarenUnited States200Engaged yet Unreached

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