Changing the narrative

The Fulani are the largest nomadic-culture people group in the world, with 31.9 million people spread across nearly every country in the Sahel from Senegal in the west to as far east as Sudan. Cornelious, who leads an OM ministry among the Fulani people in a town on the Ghanaian border with Burkina Faso, describes some of the challenges they face. 

“Fulani people are one of the most marginalised people on earth," shares Cornelious. "Local indigenous people describe them as 'cows' or 'animals'. They can't associate with them at all. They can't fetch water from the same boreholes. In clinics or hospitals, they charge them more than double the actual price and discriminate against them.

“For many centuries, Fulani people didn't go to school or hospital. For male children, their primary role is to follow cows in the bush for grazing, and they might be there for some months before they could return home. Girls have to do house chores and get married as early as seven years old. 

“We are now changing the narrative.” 

In response to a water crisis in the area, the OM team is working to provide water to Fulani families who "live in the bush with their animals and have no access to pipe water,” Cornelious says. “A water project, drilling a borehole, is near completion. This has helped the team win the trust of the Fulanis, build friendships and open the door for the gospel. We thank God that the water project has brought joy to the ministry. Now these Fulanis are able to get water for their day-to-day activities.” 

Communication is key 

Another area in which the team is reaching out to the Fulani community is through basic education for children. “When we started, they couldn't speak or write any word in English. Now they are speaking good English and interpreting for their families and others,” Cornelious says. 

“We have been raising awareness about the importance of education and how it can change their story and image in society. By God's grace, we have managed to enroll some Fulani children into government schools and they are doing very well.” 

Communication is key to the ministry. While the Fulani students learn English, the OM team is learning Fula or Fulɓe, the Fulani language, with the help of a Fulani believer named Saidu*. “Saidu is a teacher by profession but fled persecution in Burkina Faso,” Cornelious explains. “He works with the team on weekends, interpreting, and is eager to reach his people with the gospel.” 

The ministry among the Fulani is thriving. Over 500 Fulani attended a medical outreach when the team could also pray for people and share God's Word with them.

A women’s savings group has also started as a platform for sharing God’s love. 

Thank God for the borehole project, which has opened doors for reaching the Fulani with the gospel as well as addressing practical needs.  

Pray for more opportunities to reach the Fulani across the Sahel region.

Thank God that the work in northern Ghana is peaceful. Pray for more open doors and opportunities to help people and share Jesus with them. 

*name changed