Hamjambo wanafunzi? Karibuni!
Swahili (or Kiswahili as it is called when one is speaking the language) is one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa, and the most widely studied indigenous language of Africa. It is widely spoken in Tanzania and Kenya, and also spoken in some parts of Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, the Comoro Islands, Madagascar, South Sudan, and Oman, among other regions. There are more than 150 million speakers of this language.
Swahili is aired in news broadcasts in several African, as well as foreign media organizations, such as the BBC, the Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Radio France Internationale, United Nations Radio, China Radio International, NHK World Radio Japan, among others.
The Swahili program at Baylor emphasizes proficiency in the spoken language along with a competence in writing, reading, listening and culture, to prepare students for work and travel in East Africa and other regions where Swahili is spoken. In class, students practice the language by discussing numerous topics related to the various regions in which Swahili is spoken. Owing to the many mission trips to East Africa sponsored by Baylor, church groups, and other organizations, interest in Swahili has remained consistently strong at Baylor.