Safwa in Tanzania

The Safwa have only been reported in Tanzania
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Safwa (pronounced SAH-fwah) people live in the Mbeya Region of southwestern Tanzania. The city of Mbeya is at the center of their traditional homeland, but most Safwa have fled urbanization. They are concentrated, instead, in villages around the city of Mbeya and extending out some 30 miles into the surrounding mountains and valleys.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Safwa people in Tanzania are farmers who also herd livestock.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Many Safwa villages have little or no effective evangelical witness. It is estimated that as many as 80 percent of the Safwa people are devout followers of African traditional religion or no religion at all. They serve spirits that can only harm them by making offerings at sacred groves.

As a whole, the Safwa are characterized as "resistant" to the gospel. There are evangelical churches in Safwa villages, but many are filled with people of other groups who have moved into Safwa areas. There is an effort to translate scripture into their language.


What Are Their Needs?

Alcoholism is a big problem among the Safwa, as it is among many people groups. They sometimes kill one of two twins that are born through starvation.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to the Safwa people.
Pray that the Safwa people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.
Pray for workers who are driven by the love and boldness of the Holy Spirit to go to them.
Pray for a movement to Christ among them to begin this decade.


Scripture Prayers for the Safwa in Tanzania.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Safwa
People Name in Country Safwa
Alternate Names Guruku; Songwe
Population this Country 495,000
Population all Countries 495,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 10
People ID 14634
ROP3 Code 108505
ROP25 Code 307108
ROP25 Name Safwa
Country Tanzania
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Mbeya region: Mbeya urban, Mbeya rural, Chunya, and Mbozi districts, Mbeya and Poroto mountain ranges; Iringa region border area, north of Lake Malawi.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Tanzania
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Mbeya region: Mbeya urban, Mbeya rural, Chunya, and Mbozi districts, Mbeya and Poroto mountain ranges; Iringa region border area, north of Lake Malawi..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Map of Safwa in Tanzania
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 2.00 %)
5.00 %
Ethnic Religions
89.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
6.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Safwa
Language Code sbk   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
English Swahili
Primary Language Safwa
Language Code sbk   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  English
  Swahili
People Groups Speaking Safwa

Primary Language:  Safwa

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1956-2019)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2023)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Safwa Jesus Film Project
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Safwa YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Safwa YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source IITA - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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