Ugandans turn to the Bible for anxiety, hope and healing

 Daily engagement with the YouVersion Bible App increased by 41% in Uganda this year, as searches for “anxiety”, “hope” and “healing” featured among the most popular searches on the platform.

“Psalm 91” was the most searched Bible verse, according to YouVersion, which says the growth in Uganda is part of a wider increase in Bible engagement across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Daily app use increased by 63% across the region in 2026, with Ethiopia up 52%, Uganda 41%, and Kenya 36%.

The search terms offer a glimpse into what some users look for when they turn to the Bible. Psalm 91, which speaks about seeking refuge and protection, was the single most searched verse, while anxiety, hope and healing were among the most searched topics.

YouVersion says the increase comes as more people use its apps to engage with the Bible as part of their daily lives.

Globally, daily use of YouVersion's Family of Apps has reached 18.5 million people, a 13% increase from 2025. The organisation added more than 160 million installs in 2026, after passing one billion installs last November.

East Africa sees growing engagement

The increase in Uganda is part of a broader rise in Bible engagement across East Africa.

YouVersion reported that the number of people committed to completing a Bible-in-a-Year plan increased by about 50% in Kenya and Ethiopia and by 38% in Tanzania.

The company is also expanding its work with churches and ministries in the region. Its East Africa Hub, based in Nairobi, was opened earlier this year to strengthen relationships with local churches and content partners.

Joseph Gachira, leader of YouVersion's East Africa Hub, said locally relevant content was important to users.

“People have loved seeing faces they know, hearing voices they trust locally and finding contexts, and even accents, they can relate to,” he said.

YouVersion says its Family of Apps provides access to about 3,800 Bible versions in 2,400 languages. Globally, it works with more than 45,000 churches and content partners, including Christian publishers, ministries and individual creators.

In Africa, the platform works with more than 2,600 churches and content partners.

Global Bible Month returns

The increase in Bible engagement comes ahead of Global Bible Month, which returns in November with a 30-Day Bible Challenge.

The challenge encourages people to read or listen to Scripture every day throughout November. Nearly three million people signed up during its first year, according to YouVersion.

This year's challenge will allow participants to track their progress and see how their friends are engaging with the Bible.

“This year, we've been encouraged by how many people are turning to Scripture for answers to their questions,” said Bobby Gruenewald, founder and CEO of YouVersion.

The organisation will also take Scripture into public spaces in cities including New York, London and Osaka during Global Bible Month.

For Uganda, however, the 41% rise in daily engagement points to a growing use of digital platforms to access religious content, while the searches for anxiety, hope, healing and protection offer a glimpse of the personal concerns some users bring with them when they open the Bible.