People group profile · PG046994
The Deaf Tajikistanis of Tajikistan
The Deaf Tajikistanis of Tajikistan, numbering about 97,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a community of individuals who are culturally Deaf and actively participate in Deaf culture, often using sign language as their primary means of communication.
They are an indigenous people in the Deaf people cluster of the Deaf Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Russian Sign Language.

Fast facts
- Country
- Tajikistan
- Population
- 97,500
- Affinity group
- Deaf Peoples
- People cluster
- Deaf
- Primary language
- Russian Sign Language (rsl)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Concentrated CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Central Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Deaf Tajikistanis 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 but there has been initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting
Next steps for the Deaf Tajikistanis
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
94% adherents
Primary language
Russian Sign Language · Sign Language family
100% speak Russian Sign Language
Gospel resources in Russian Sign Language
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not 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 Deaf Tajikistanis
- 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.
- 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.
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