The Avukaya of South Sudan

The Avukaya of South Sudan, numbering approximately 60,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Central Sudanic farming people of South Sudan's Equatoria rainforest near the DR Congo border, whose ancestors migrated north across the Dungu River roughly three centuries ago and who historically allied with the Moru against the Azande king Gbudwe. They mostly adhere to Neo-Pentecostalism and Avokaya is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2025). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Avukaya

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: South Sudan
People Cluster: Sudanic
Primary Language(s): Avokaya (avu)
Primary Religion(s): Neo-Pentecostalism
Population: 60,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG011968
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Avukaya of South Sudan

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Neo-Pentecostalism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

—
%
Neo-Pentecostalism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Avokaya
Language Family: Central Sudanic

100%
%
Avokaya Speakers

Media Resources in Avokaya:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Avokaya:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
2002 Wycliffe Bible Translators Inc.✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Avokaya bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Avukaya 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 Avukaya:
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 Avukaya of South Sudan

For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
readPsalm 97:9

Pray that those who don't yet know Him will recognize the Lord as the Most High and turn from spiritual darkness to worship Him above all else.

And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.
readZechariah 2:11

Pray that many will take refuge in the Lord and be His people who share the good news of salvation in Jesus with others.

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
readPsalm 37:4

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will delight themselves in the Lord, trusting Him to give them the desires of their hearts.

Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”
readPsalm 96:10

Pray for God to put in the hearts of believers to go to the lost and testify about the Lord who reigns.

Avukaya Across Countries (ROP3 - 100638) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

2 people groups

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

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