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PEOPLE GROUP PROFILE

The Daasanech of Kenya

The Daasanech of Kenya, numbering approximately 16,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous community of Kenya and can also be known as Marille, Reshiat, Shangilla, Geleb, Dama. They are an Indigenous people, in the Sidama people cluster of the Horn of Africa affinity bloc. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion - Animism. They primarily speak Daasanach.

Daasanech in Kenya photo
Photo courtesy of Joshua Project. Photo Source: Rod Waddington - Wikimedia Rod Waddington - Wikimedia Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: North Africa and Middle East Peoples
Country: Kenya
People Cluster: Sidama
Primary Language(s): Daasanach (dsh)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion - Animism
Population: 16,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Active CP Activity
People Group ID: PG033477

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Ethnoreligion - Animism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

%
Ethnoreligion - Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Daasanach
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

%
Daasanach Speakers

Media Resources in Daasanach:

Films:

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Daasanach:

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Daasanach bible resources at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

Next steps for the Daasanech

The Daasanech are Unengaged and Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group
Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group
Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Next steps for the Daasanech

The Daasanech 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.

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

Next steps for the Daasanech

The Daasanech 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.

Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Daasanech of Kenya

But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.
readPsalm 130:4

Pray that God will bring those who have hard hearts to repentance and trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins.

For my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples.
readLuke 2:30

Pray that the lost will see the salvation of God, and that they will trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
readColossians 2:6-7

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be rooted and built up in Him, abounding in thanksgiving for the grace and mercy He has shown them.

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
readPsalm 67:1-2

Pray that as God blesses believers from among this people group or from nearby cultures, He will raise them up to share His saving power among the nations.

Reshiat reported in the following countries (ROP3):

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

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Definitions page.

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