The Deaf Sierra Leoneans of Sierra Leone

The Deaf Sierra Leoneans of Sierra Leone, numbering approximately 89,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a community of individuals who are culturally Deaf and actively participate in Deaf culture, often using sign language as their primary means of communication. They mostly adhere to Animism and Sierra Leone Sign Language is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Deaf of Sierra Leone

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Deaf Peoples
Country: Sierra Leone
People Cluster: Deaf
Primary Language(s): Sierra Leone Sign Language (sgx)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 89,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG048842
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Deaf Sierra Leoneans of Sierra Leone

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

—
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Sierra Leone Sign Language
Language Family: Sign Language

45%
%
Sierra Leone Sign Language Speakers

Media Resources in Sierra Leone Sign Language:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Sierra Leone Sign Language:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Sierra Leone Sign Language bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Deaf Sierra Leoneans 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 Deaf Sierra Leoneans:
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 Deaf Sierra Leoneans of Sierra Leone

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
readMatthew 11:28

Pray for those who are tired, weary, and burdened by the weight of sin to encounter Jesus and experience the rest that only He can give.

Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia."
readRomans 16:5

Pray for houses to be meeting places for Christians and that God will advance the gospel and grow His Church through natural familial and community relationships.

Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
readPsalm 100:3-4

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be in awe of the Lord God, their Creator, and will give Him thanksgiving and praise.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
readPsalm 23:3

Pray for believers to go and share the gospel with others here. Ask that God will restore their souls and lead them in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Deaf Sierra Leonean Across Countries (ROP3 - 116611) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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