The Southern Samo of Burkina Faso

The Southern Samo of Burkina Faso, numbering approximately 183,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a people of Burkina Faso. They mostly adhere to Folk Islam and Southern Samo is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Samo, Southern

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Burkina Faso
People Cluster: Mande
Primary Language(s): Southern Samo (sbd)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Islam
Population: 183,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG012448
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Southern Samo of Burkina Faso

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: Folk Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

—
%
Folk Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Southern Samo
Language Family: Mande

100%
%
Samo, Southern Speakers

Media Resources in Southern Samo:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Southern Samo:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
1995 Bible Society of Burkina Faso✓✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Southern Samo bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Southern Samo 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 Southern Samo:
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 Southern Samo of Burkina Faso

I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.
readIsaiah 45:5-6

Pray that the lost among them will be delivered from the confusion of false beliefs and come to know the one true God who alone brings light and purpose to their lives.

All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.
readPsalm 66:4

Pray that the good news of Jesus will advance here and that many will bow down and sing praises to His name.

In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
readJohn 14:2-3

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will persevere in hope, remembering that Jesus went to prepare a place for them to be with Him for eternity!

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven."
readMatthew 16:17

Pray that God who is in heaven will place believers in the lives of people who need to encounter the gospel and that He will reveal to them the truth of what they hear.

Samo, Southern Across Countries (ROP3 - 108630) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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

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