SIL INTERNATIONAL -TANZANIA BRANCH

SIL has recognised more than 7,000 languages used in the world today — over 600 in Africa alone. In Tanzania today, SIL serves more than two dozen language communities.
SIL was first involved in Tanzania in 1989, in a cooperative venture with the Bible Society of Tanzania and Lutheran Diocese of Mbulu to launch development work in the Datooga language. In 1991, teams began literacy, linguistics, and translation work with the Zinza language community, near Lake Victoria in northwest Tanzania. Between 1991 and 2000, additional language projects were begun in Tanzania, including Alagwa, Burunge, Rangi, Sandawe, and Sangu. Work is also underway in Mbugwe from Dodoma.

Modern advancements in technology have made it possible to accelerate language development progress by identifying closely related languages and connecting their teams as 'clusters.' Since 2000, SIL Tanzania has launched three cluster projects: the Mbeya Cluster Project (Bena, Bungu, Kinga, Malila, Ndali, Nyakyusa, Nyiha, Safwa, Sangu, Vwanji, Kisi, Manda, and Pangwa); the Mara Cluster Project (Ikizu-Sizaki, Ikoma-Nata-Isenye, Jita, Kabwa, Kuria, Kwaya, Ngoreme (now inactive), Suba-Simbiti, Zanaki, Zinza (joined the project in 2009)); and the Katavi Cluster Project (Bende, Tongwe, Pimbwe, Lwila and Rungwa).

Tanzania has more than 120 local languages, including Tanzanian Sign Language. Of these, more than 60 have work in progress by SIL or other agencies. There are potentially a further 40 languages which may still need language development programmes.There are four language families represented in Tanzania: Bantu, Cushitic, Khoisan, and Nilotic. The Bantu languages make up the largest group.

SIL International is registered in Tanzania as a Society under the Ministry of Home Affairs, TZ, Certificate of Registration number 7553. SIL has developed partnerships and cooperation with other organizations in Tanzania with similar objectives. It is a member of the Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT), the Forum of Bible Agencies (FOBA) and the Tanzania Evangelical Literature Ministry (TELM).

SIL Tanzania is not a funding organisation. As a non-profit society, we operate on contributions from interested individuals and partner organisations around the world.