Since 2023, Christians across sub-Saharan Africa have been calling on us to stand with them against unthinkable violence. Four years on, people across the world have answered and the need has never been greater.
How Arise Africa began
The Arise Africa campaign started as a call from churches in Sub-Saharan Africa for the Body of Christ around the world to stand with them, as one, to stop the violence and start the healing.
In 2023, church leaders from across the continent, alongside Open Doors partners and senior leaders, signed the Lomé Declaration – a united call for the world to act on the violence facing Christian communities in the region. That declaration became the foundation of Arise Africa: A multi-year commitment to bring sustained awareness, prayer, and practical support to four million persecuted Christians in Africa.
Four years later, here’s what that commitment has made possible.
What’s the problem?
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the global epicentre of violence against Christians, with countries such as Nigeria and Burkina Faso experiencing escalating attacks on Christian communities.
In many cases, the targeted extreme violence towards Christians leads to believers being killed for their faith and when this happens it shakes the foundations of entire communities, and the Church as a whole. Church leaders are especially targeted, and when they are either killed or their families are killed, it leaves a church in crisis.
This is the reality we need to stand against. But to understand the full scale of the crisis, we need to look beyond individual attacks and consider what is happening in Nigeria, where of the 4 849 Christians killed worldwide because of their faith during the World Watch List 2026 reporting period, 3 490 were Nigerian – an increase from 3 100 in the previous year.
Statistics show the scale of the crisis, but Pastor Josiah from Nigeria helps us understand its reality:
“Some are being killed, while others are put through suffering. I know many churches where they don’t worship there any longer, because the church buildings have been destroyed.
Those whose houses are destroyed in attacks have to go and try to start life afresh somewhere again. Because of this, some of our children have gone to the cities and are losing their way. Because of what’s happening, some have entered poverty, and their wives have left them. Some are losing their faith. And some are despairing when suffering comes – they feel like life has finished.”
This doesn’t mean that the Church is defeated, or helpless. Despite the waves of violence, the Church continues to faithfully live out the Gospel and carry out the Great Commission amid the increasing violent killing of Christians for their faith in parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
What is Arise Africa?
Now in our fourth year, our aim is still to:
- Bring sustained awareness to the problem of extremist violence and its impact on Christians in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- See people like you actively praying and speaking out against violent persecution.
- Support four million persecuted Christians in Africa spiritually, physically and emotionally.
Together, we are making an impact
Since the campaign began in 2023, more than 780 000 people have signed the Arise Africa petition, while globally Open Doors partners have raised $8.26 million (approximately R132 million), helping provide 2,1 million acts of direct support to our family in Africa. Globally 20 million people have been reached online and offline about Arise Africa and what is happening to our persecuted family in Africa.
Notes on these figures
- These are global campaign totals.
- The $8.26 million excludes residual donations, (the global total is higher).
