UPDATE
The 1994 genocide in Rwanda caused a war in which a million people died. The violence led to the displacement of 2 million people, including an estimated 500,000 who fled to Tanzania, many on foot. When the 55 in 5 initiative launched in 2020, data indicated 249,000 people from Rwanda were still living in Tanzania.
However, recent research reveals that within five years after the war, most Rwandese had returned home. Now only a few hundred Rwandese families remain in Tanzania. Most are assimilated into local culture. They live among a people group that speaks a similar language and is considered “reached” with the gospel.
The Rwandese who returned home are not counted as a distinct people group; they are simply Rwandese who are once again living in their homeland. They too have access to the gospel, as Rwanda has many professing Christians.
Due to the small population of Rwandese still in Tanzania, and the fact they have access to the gospel, the IMB will not continue to emphasize them as a people group in the 55 in 5 initiative. We praise God for His work among the people of Rwanda and pray for continued peace, forgiveness and stability in their land.
