The Rungwa of Tanzania

The Rungwa of Tanzania, numbering approximately 55,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group of western Tanzania, closely associated with the Lake Rukwa basin and the Katavi–Rukwa region. They mostly adhere to Roman Catholicism and Rungwa is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Tanzania
People Cluster: Bantu, Central-Tanzania
Primary Language(s): Rungwa (rnw)
Primary Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
Population: 55,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG015029
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Pray for the Rungwa of Tanzania

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: Roman Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

65%
%
Roman Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Rungwa
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

85%
%
Rungwa Speakers

Media Resources in Rungwa:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Rungwa:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Rungwa bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Rungwa 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 Rungwa:
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 Rungwa of Tanzania

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
readPsalm 96:5

Pray that those who are seeking after worthless idols will not be satisfied until they seek the truth and find it in Christ.

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’
readRevelation 7:9-10

Pray that many people will receive the gospel and will be part of the great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, clothed in white robes and palm branches, proclaiming salvation belongs to our God.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
readIsaiah 41:10

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will not fear, for the Lord is with them, and He will strengthen, help, and uphold them with His righteous right hand.

Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"
readIsaiah 40:9

Pray for God to send and sustain believers to go and herald the good news to the lost here.

Rungwa Across Countries (ROP3 - 108446) 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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