Language Projects

In Tanzania Wycliffe is presently working in 26 languages across the country. The personnel working in these programs are sharing their expertise and experience with local citizens. They are fluent in Swahili and are involved in training more Tanzanians for the task of Bible Translation.

Among the languages in which we are working, there is a language cluster project in the Mbeya-Iringa Regions and one in infancy in the Mara Region. Within a cluster project local citizens will need to be trained and coached in all aspects of a language program in order to involve and serve several languages simultaneously. Learn more in our Bantu language cluster section.

Explore the exciting work that is going on in our language projects:

1. Alagwa
2. Burunge
3. Mara Cluster
4. Mbeya-Iringa Cluster
5. Mbugwe
6. Rangi
7. Sandawe
8. Sukuma
9. Temi
   

To learn more about the languages of Tanzania check out the People and Languages section. To learn more about the languages of Tanzania visit the Ethnologue.

Jul 22, 2019 "We know the work is hard - but keep going!" Written by Kenny G A busy season in several Mara Region communities has translation teams feeling freshly inspired to their work. In a Kwaya village, reviewers reported how many are enjoying reading and listening to Scriptures the team has completed. On a visit to check Matthew and Romans with the community, the Jita team kept hearing, "We know the work is hard-but keep going!" While checking eight new Ikoma Scripture portions, reviewers helped the team choose the best word for shepherd... Read more...

Jul 19, 2019 Six New Testaments to cross the finish line Written by Kenny G A Scripture translation "cluster project" in southwestern Tanzania has its eyes on several major milestones. Sixteen years since work began, a group of six language projects are bringing all their New Testaments to completion. One is ready for its official launch, another is being printed and bound. Following those, four more teams are busy with final checks and typesetting. It's an exciting time of challenges and victories as global teams lend aid and local plans are laid... Read more...

Jul 18, 2019 Positive impact of new oral translation work Written by Kenny G Inyonga, Tanzania - "Sharing God seems easy now, with Scripture recorded in my language." A Konongo speaker, named Lightness, took part in an Bible story-ing workshop. She has recordings on her phone, and plays them in the market. "A lot of women and children gather," she adds, "and they enjoy listening." Lightness has learned to narrate Bible stories orally, and lead group studies in her village. Meanwhile the new Konongo translation project works hard, encouraged by such early impact... Read more...

Jul 15, 2019 "Jesus and I are not just friends, we are one thing..." Written by Kenny G "I've heard John 15:5 many times, in Swahili and English," said Paulo Kijuu, a Rangi translator. "But the expression of 'abiding in Jesus' is not clear to Rangi speakers." The team began to search for a way to make the meaning clear. "When we found it," said Kijuu, "my eyes got teary because I could picture my own relationship with Jesus. I could feel his love..." Read more...

Jun 12, 2019 New Testament completed in Nyakyusa language Written by Kenny G Rain kept down the crowd’s numbers, but not their joy. Sheltered inside a church-within-a-church, Nyakyusa speakers used this day of singing and dancing, preaching and feasting to celebrate their newly translated Scriptures “even our children can understand!”     Read more...