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People group profile · PG050544

The Akha Mutuen of Laos

The Akha Mutuen of Laos, numbering about 1,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are one of numerous Akha hill tribes that migrated from China into Southeast Asia during the early 20th century to settle in the mountains of northern Laos.

They are an indigenous people in the Hani-Akha people cluster of the Himalayan Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Akha.

Pray for the Akha MutuenPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Laos
Population
1,500
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Hani-Akha
Primary language
Akha (ahk)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Oudomxay and Phongsaly provinces: 3 villages

Where they live

Gospel status

The Akha Mutuen 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Akha Mutuen

  • 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

100% adherents

Primary language

Akha · Sino-Tibetan family

90% speak Akha

Gospel resources in Akha

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

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Akha Mutuen

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

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