The Bwile of Zambia

The Bwile of Zambia, numbering approximately 66,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous people of northern Zambia centered on the northeastern shore of Lake Mweru in Chiengi District, with related communities across the border in the DRC. They mostly adhere to Roman Catholicism and Bwile is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Zambia
People Cluster: Bantu, Central-South
Primary Language(s): Bwile (bwc)
Primary Religion(s): Roman Catholicism
Population: 66,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG015572
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Bwile of Zambia

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

50%
%
Roman Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Bwile
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

57%
%
Bwile Speakers

Media Resources in Bwile:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Bwile:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Bwile bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Bwile 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 Bwile:
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 Bwile of Zambia

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
readProverbs 4:19

Pray that lost people will accept salvation through Christ, turn from destruction, and experience joy in the way of righteousness.

Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!
readPsalm 68:4

Pray that many will come to faith in Christ and share the gospel with others so that His salvation will be known among all nations.

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
readPsalm 89:1

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will declare and record His faithfulness and love to be passed on from generation to generation.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
readPsalm 8:1

Pray that God will raise up people who love Him and are able and willing to go to and share the hope of the gospel with those who don't know it. Pray that everyone will see His name as majestic in all the earth!

Bwile Across Countries (ROP3 - 101828) 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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