The Safwa (pronounced SAH-fwah) people live in the Mbeya Region of southwestern Tanzania. The city of Mbeya is at the center of their traditional homeland, but most Safwa have fled urbanization. They are concentrated, instead, in villages around the city of Mbeya and extending out some 30 miles into the surrounding mountains and valleys.
Alcoholism is a big problem among the Safwa, as it is among many people groups. They sometimes kill one of two twins that are born through starvation.
Many Safwa villages have little or no effective evangelical witness. It is estimated that as many as 80 percent of the Safwa people are devout followers of African traditional religion or no religion at all. They serve spirits that can only harm them by making offerings at sacred groves. As a whole, the Safwa are characterized as "resistant" to the gospel. There are evangelical churches in Safwa villages, but many are filled with people of other groups who have moved into Safwa areas. There is an effort to translate scripture into their language.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to the Safwa people. Pray that the Safwa people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings. Pray for workers who are driven by the love and boldness of the Holy Spirit to go to them. Pray for a movement to Christ among them to begin this decade.
Scripture Prayers for the Safwa in Tanzania.
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Safwa |
People Name in Country | Safwa |
Alternate Names | Guruku; Songwe |
Population this Country | 495,000 |
Population all Countries | 495,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 4 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 10 |
People ID | 14634 |
ROP3 Code | 108505 |
ROP25 Code | 307108 |
ROP25 Name | Safwa |
Country | Tanzania | ||
Region | Africa, East and Southern | ||
Continent | Africa | ||
10/40 Window | No | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | Not ranked | ||
Location in Country | Mbeya region: Mbeya urban, Mbeya rural, Chunya, and Mbozi districts, Mbeya and Poroto mountain ranges; Iringa region border area, north of Lake Malawi. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Country | Tanzania |
Region | Africa, East and Southern |
Continent | Africa |
10/40 Window | No |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | Not ranked |
Location in Country | Mbeya region: Mbeya urban, Mbeya rural, Chunya, and Mbozi districts, Mbeya and Poroto mountain ranges; Iringa region border area, north of Lake Malawi.. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Primary Religion: | Ethnic Religions |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 2.00 %) |
5.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
89.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
6.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Safwa | |||
Language Code | sbk Ethnologue Listing | |||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||
Total Languages | 3 | |||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Safwa |
Language Code | sbk Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 3 |
Secondary Languages | |
English | |
Swahili | |
People Groups | Speaking Safwa |
Primary Language: Safwa
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1956-2019) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (2023) |
Bible-Complete | No |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | Online |
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Safwa | Jesus Film Project |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Safwa | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Safwa | YouVersion Bibles |
Photo Source | IITA - Flickr Creative Commons |
Map Source | People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project. |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |