The Atwot of South Sudan

The Atwot of South Sudan, numbering approximately 87,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Nilotic cattle-herding people of Lakes State whose Reel language was recognized as distinct from Dinka only in 1987, sharing an oral memory with the Dinka and Nuer of a common origin at a vast water called adekdit. They mostly adhere to Animism and Reel is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: South Sudan
People Cluster: Nilotic
Primary Language(s): Reel (atu)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 87,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG011967
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Atwot of South Sudan

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Animism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

95%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Reel
Language Family: Nilotic

85%
%
Reel Speakers

Media Resources in Reel:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Reel:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Reel bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Atwot 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 Atwot:
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

Pray specifically for the Atwot of South Sudan

While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
readLuke 9:42

Pray that those who are living outside of the hope of the gospel will know and trust that Jesus offers freedom from the oppression of sin and hope in eternal life.

Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
readPsalm 66:5

Pray that many here will come and see what the Creator God has done on their behalf.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
readPsalm 119:105

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will meditate daily on the Word of God so that, through it, they might have wisdom for the big and small decisions they face every day.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
readLuke 10:1

Ask God to raise up, send out, and sustain Christians who can go together to share the good news of Jesus with those who need it.

Atwot Across Countries (ROP3 - 100613) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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