Mali

The Bozo people of Mali are located along the Niger River, where the water sustains life in an otherwise harsh and arid landscape. They are a distinct ethnic group of skilled fishermen and for centuries have been masters of the river, passing down fishing techniques, boat-building skills and knowledge of Niger’s seasonal rhythms from generation to generation. They speak Bozo, a language from the Mande family with several distinct dialects.

Religiously, the Bozo identify overwhelmingly as Sunni Muslim, with Islam having spread among them centuries ago through trade routes and the influence of powerful Muslim empires in West Africa. Many Bozo families struggle with poverty, food insecurity, and lack of access to education
and healthcare. Due to the construction of dams along the Niger River, their traditional fishing patterns have been disrupted resulting in reduced catches, making them vulnerable economically.

The Bozo’s are classified as “unengaged and unreached,” meaning there is no known active gospel work being done among them, no indigenous church movement, and less than one percent evangelical Christian presence. There is currently no Bible translation in any Bozo dialect, no known discipleship materials, or gospel resources.

The few Christian workers who have engaged the Bozo have done so in French or Bambara, languages that many Bozo understand but that do not reach the heart. Because the spoken word is much more natural to the Bozo than the written word, audio Bibles, digital resources, and oral storytelling methods are essential for gospel work among this people group.