The Tembo-Kitembo of Congo, Democratic Republic of the

The Tembo-Kitembo of Congo, Democratic Republic of the, numbering approximately 348,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are described as an ethnolinguistic community of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu provinces, Kalehe Territory They are an Indigenous people, with Tembo as their ethnic/kinship group and are in the Bantu, Central-Congo people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism. They primarily speak Tembo (DRC, Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu provinces).

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Tembo (Kitembo)

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
People Cluster: Bantu, Central-Congo
Primary Language(s): Tembo (DRC, Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu provinces) (tbt)
Primary Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
Population: 348,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Active CP Activity
People Group ID: PG014737
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Tembo-Kitembo of Congo, Democratic Republic of the

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Roman Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

46%
%
Roman Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Tembo (DRC, Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu provinces)
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Tembo (DRC, Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu provinces) Speakers

Media Resources in Tembo (DRC, Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu provinces):

Films:

Bible Resources in Tembo (DRC, Sud-Kivu and Nord-Kivu provinces):

Linked from YouVersion

Explore Lostness and Next Steps

Unengaged and Unreached

Strategic Priority Index (SPI): Unengaged and Unreached (SPI: 1), which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.
Lostness Priority Index (LPI): Expanding Unreached People Group, (LPI: 2), 0.5% to 2% Evangelical.
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Active CP Activity (GSEC: 1), 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

Next steps for the Tembo-Kitembo:
Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group
Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group
Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Tembo-Kitembo are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Tembo-Kitembo:
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

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Tembo-Kitembo are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Tembo-Kitembo:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Tembo-Kitembo of Congo, Democratic Republic of the

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
readRomans 5:10

Pray that any who may be enemies of God will grasp the depth of God's love demonstrated through Christ's death for the ungodly, and be reconciled to Him.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
readPsalm 16:11

Pray that God will make a way for His path of life to be revealed to many so that they may come into His presence and experience abundant joy and eternal pleasures at His right hand.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
readPsalm 51:15

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will abide in Him, and God will help them to proclaim His praise and declare His goodness all day long.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
read2 Corinthians 5:20

Pray that those God sends to cross cultures will be His ambassadors, faithfully imploring people on Christ's behalf to be reconciled to God through Jesus.

Tembo Across Countries (ROP3 - 109935) reported in the following countries:

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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