People group profile · PG048145
The Wandya of Malawi
The Wandya of Malawi, numbering about 27,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Tumbuka-related people who migrated west before 1800 to settle mountains between Kalonga and the Isoka-Nakonde corridor spanning Malawi and Zambia, adopting Tumbuka language and culture alongside neighboring Tambo, Nyika, and Lambya communities.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Tanzania people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Nyiha (Malawi).
Fast facts
- Country
- Malawi
- Population
- 27,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Tanzania
- Primary language
- Nyiha (Malawi) (nyr)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Wandya 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Wandya
- 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
99% adherents
Primary language
Nyiha (Malawi) · Atlantic-Congo family
54% speak Nyiha (Malawi)
Gospel resources in Nyiha (Malawi)
- Bible available, published 2017
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Wandya
- 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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