Projects the UK Office support
Ethiopia | Malawi | Nigeria | Southeast Asia
Eastern Europe | Tanzania | Zambia | Zimbabwe
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the west, and Sudan to the northwest. As of 2024, it is home to around 132 million inhabitants, making it the 10th most populated country in the world, and the most populated landlocked country on Earth. Ethiopia is a country of diverse religion, language and ethnicity, with over 80 ethnic groups.
Currently, TWFTW Ethiopia runs 24 Bible Translation projects in four regions of the country. The office is based in Addis Ababa, the capital city of the country. Most projects are located in the Southern part of the country, where there are 56 ethnic groups.
Ethiopian Translations projects
We have Bible translation projects amongst the following people groups in Ethiopia: Aari, Awngi, Baiso, Banna, Basketo, Bench, Borna, Burji, Dawron, Gamo, Gayil, Gedeo, Guji, Gofa, Konta, Maale, Melo, Oyda, Sheko, Shinasha, Yemsa.
Malawi
Malawi is a land-locked country in Southern Africa, formerly known as Nyasaland. The country is known as the Warm Heart of Africa due to its friendly people. Although it has known political stability, the country is very poor due to its lack of natural and mineral resources, making it one of the world’s least-developed countries. The economy is heavily based on agriculture, and has a largely rural population, totalling 21 million.
Missionary and explorer David Livingstone reached Lake Malawi (then Lake Nyasa) in 1859 and as a result of his visit, several missions were established in the area in the 1860s & 1870s. Christianity is now the majority religion with 87% of the population claiming to be Christian.
Malawian Translation Projects
Lambya Language (80,000 speakers)
The Lambya translation office is located in Chitipa, northern Malawi. The project was started in 2004 by John and Lydia, a former Sena Bible translator. The New Testament was published in 2016, and the Old Testament translation was completed in July 2023 - the launch is planned for April 2025.
Lambya literacy:
We currently have over 40 literacy centres among the Lambya people where adults are taught to read and write. Many of them have successfully been taught to read the Lambya scriptures.
Sena (300,000 speakers in Malawi)
The Sena Bible was published in 2006 by Bible Society of Malawi. Barry and Julia Funnell lived in Malawi (1991 to 2001) and trained the translators John, Paul and Maxwell, who are pictured here at the launching ceremony. The whole Bible was translated and consultant approved in ten years - a record time within TWFTW!
Sena literacy:
We currently have over 100 literacy centres among the Sena people managed by Maxwell, Arnold, Fred and Fanuel. Primers were also prepared in partnership with Literacy Evangelism International.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a country in West Africa, situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. With a population of more than 230 million people, it is the most populous country in Africa, and the sixth most populated country in the world. Nigeria borders Niger in the north, Chad in the northeast, Cameroon in the east, and Benin in the west. The country is comprised of 36 states with more than 250 ethnic groups speaking 500 distinct languages, all identifying with a wide variety of cultures.
The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa in the north, Yoruba in the west, and Igbo in the east, together constituting over 60% of the total population. Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Muslims, who live mostly in the north, and Christians, who live mostly in the south.
TWFTW has an office in Abuja and is involved in 24 Bible translation projects in the country. There are more than 200 unreached language groups in Nigeria.
Tanzania
Tanzania is a country in East Africa, within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi and DRC Congo to the west. Tanzania has a population of around 62 million, making it the most populous country located entirely south of the equator. Tanzania has emerged from a period of socialism under President Nyerere into a growing economy during recent years. A large percentage of the population are subsistence farmers.
TWFTW is involved in 23 Bible translation projects in Tanzania.
Our first ten projects in Tanzania were started in partnership with Pioneer Bible Translators (PBT) as a cluster project with Barry Funnell's direct involvement from 2004 to 2008. Start-up costs for all ten projects were provided by TWFTW. Thereafter The Seed Company has been a major donor. The first six projects started in 2006 and a further four in 2007. All ten teams have completed the New Testament, and are now working on Old Testament translations.
All New Testaments will soon be available on YouVersion for smart phone or on the www.Bible.com website.
In seven of the first ten languages the Jesus Film has been recorded.
Southeast Asia
Training Programme:
The Diploma in Bible Translation training takes place in several locations in SE Asia, and training materials have been translated into four major languages. The first 35 Bible translators to graduate from SE Asia with a Diploma in Bible translation was in 2014.
Bible Translation Projects:
Most of the un-researched and remaining languages are to be found in this region. Traditionally, it has been difficult to work in these regions that are dominated by Communism, Islam, and the Buddhistic worldview. Despite the various challenges, our work in these areas continues to grow and expand, and we remain committed to serving many more language groups where the need is most pressing.
"Our vision is bold and ambitious. With God's guidance and the support of our partners and donors, we are confident that we can overcome the challenges ahead and bring the transformative power of the Bible to every corner of this diverse and dynamic region." - Southeast Asia team member.
We work with indigenous organisations in over 10 countries in SE Asia & Asia, and are involved in over 70 Bible Translation projects, and at least 5 literacy programmes.
Eastern Europe:
We are currently working in Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia and Albania. Plans are underway to start work in Macedonia and Poland with the potential to start work in other Eastern European countries. TWFTW Europe has a vision to develop capacity in the region to support indigenous ownership and the translation of the Bible into 30 languages by 2050.
The Romani are considered to be Europe’s oldest and largest minority people group. Originally from India, the Romani people started migrating to Europe 1000 years ago and they are now scattered in various countries around the world. It’s estimated that there are 10 million Roma people living in Europe, with significant populations in the Balkans, but also in Spain, France, Ukraine, and Turkey. Due to the widespread distribution of the Romani people, they do not have one specific language, but many different languages and dialects. Many of these groups do not have access to the Bible in their own language.
Slovakia
In 2014 the New Testament was completed and published by TWFTW Slovakia on 8th Nov 2014. An audio version of the New Testament has also been recorded by ‘Faith Comes by Hearing’. The team also produced 10,000 DVDs which contain 37 New Testament stories to cater for children. In December 2023 the Old Testament was officially launched meaning that, for the first time, the Roma people of Slovakia now have a full Bible in their heart language.
If you would like to purchase an Eastern Slovak Romani Bible or would like further information about the project, go to: www.romanibiblia.org or contact us.
Eastern Slovak Romani (300,000 speakers)
TWFTW has been working in Eastern Slovakia amongst the Roma people for over 16 years. The Europe team is headed up by Pierre van Vuuren who is the National Director for TWFTW Europe.
Serbia/Croatia
TWFTW are involved in three Romani translation projects (Arli, Gurbet & Chergash) in Serbia & Croatia, numbering 600,000 people. The New Testament projects were started on 1st January 2022 – and it is hoped to finish them by 31st March 2027. Each team has two translators and one exegete (a person who interprets text) along with a number of community checkers.
Our mission is to see the Romani people of the Arli, Chergash & Gurbet language groups have access to the Word of God in their own languages. Ultimately, through the availability of God’s Word in homes and churches, we want to see more people come to faith in Christ and grow in Him.
Albania
Albania is located on the Adriatic sea coast of the Balkan Peninsula, between Kosovo & Montenegro to the north, Macedonia on the east, and Greece on the south. The Apostle Paul wrote that he preached in the Roman province of Illyricum as it was called then (Romans 15:19). From 1400AD to 1900AD a process of Islamisation took place under Ottoman rule, and so the church was faced with a huge challenge for many centuries. After the 2nd world war the country came under communist rule, and in 1967 it was declared to be “the world’s first atheistic state”. It was forbidden by law to believe or to speak about God!
In 1991 massive protests began in Albania mostly due to the great economic depression, and communism fell. Missionaries soon started going to Albania, where they found a very spiritually hungry people filled with questions about God. There are estimated to be around 15,000 evangelical believers, making up about 0.5% of the population, whereas only 25 years ago there were almost no born-again Christians.
TWFTW is involved in translating the Bible into Aromanian, spoken by the Aromanian people, who live mainly in central and southern Albania. The language is descended from Latin and is classed as an Eastern Romance language, historically known as Macedo-Romanian, and also known as Vlach. Work began on translating the New Testament in July 2023 and it is hoped that this will be ready for publishing in June 2028.
Zambia
Zambia is a land-locked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa. The capital city of Zambia is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of Zambia, and this is where TWFTW has its regional base. The population of 21 million is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt province to the north. It gained its independence from Britain in 1964, and is famous for its copper production and the Victoria Falls.
Nel Klassen of TWFTW started the work among the Taabua people in the mid 1990's. The Ila and Soli projects were started in 1999. More recently, Kapasa has been coordinating the work in Zambia with the assistance of National Director Reuben Kabwe, who lives in Tanzania. TWFTW is involved in 12 Bible translation projects.
Zimbabwe
The first-ever project of The Word for the World was amongst the Chikunda people of Zimbabwe! It was started in the late 1980s, but the progress of the work has been greatly hindered by the economic and socio-political difficulties in the country.
Nevertheless the New Testament was published in 2003 and work is continuing on the Old Testament in partnership with the Bible Society of Zimbabwe. Several books of the Old Testament have been consultant checked.
There are currently 10 Bible translation projects underway in Zimbabwe.
