- What is Give a Smile Today?
Give a Smile Today (GiST) is a faith-driven Community Chaplaincy & Empowerment non-profit organization committed to meeting the spiritual, emotional, social, and physical needs of individuals and communities around the world.
Our motto is simple yet profound: To serve God by serving humanity.
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” - 1 John 3:18
Love in Action
We believe that every human being deserves compassion, dignity, and eternal hope regardless of race, color, ethnicity, gender, or religion. In a world overwhelmed by grief, trauma, and isolation, we bring hope and healing through intentional care, presence, and action.
Why Chaplaincy Matters Now More Than Ever
From hospitals and schools to prisons, disaster zones, and urban streets, the need for trained and compassionate chaplains is growing every day. People are silently battling mental health struggles, grief, family breakdowns, addiction, and loneliness—and many have nowhere to turn.
Community Chaplains step into those spaces to listen, pray, comfort, guide, and empower—bringing light into darkness and peace into pain.
That’s why GiST invests in chaplaincy training and deployment, preparing men and women to respond with love, wisdom, and sensitivity in diverse settings.
Smile Chaplains Network: Training & Certification
Through our Smile Chaplains Network, we offer biblically grounded and practically oriented chaplaincy training to equip individuals with the tools to serve effectively and compassionately.
Our certification program includes training in:
- Certificate / Diploma Chaplaincy
- Certificate / Diploma in Evangelistic Chaplaincy
- Certificate / Diploma in Biblical Counselling
- Bsc. Evangelistic Chaplaincy
- Bsc. Biblical Counselling
Short / Professional Courses:
- Trauma Healing
- ToT in Biblical Hermeneutics / Homiletics / Chaplaincy / Evangelism
- Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
- Music Therapy
- Children Care Chaplaincy
- Evangelism Short Course
- Theology of the Tabernacle
Graduates become Certified Chaplains under Smile Chaplains Network (SCN), fully equipped to offer presence-based care in real-world settings, both locally and globally.
Our Chaplains use Smile Chaplains Network (SCN) Field Guide Manual developed by GiST.
Join the Movement Today!
- Spiritual Care Articles
- Empowerment ResourcesEducation opportunitiesEntrepreneurship opportunitiesOpensource SoftwareOnline Chaplaincy
We are committed to serving you regardless of your colour, race, age, gender or religious affiliation, through our online Chaplaincy program. You may be suffering from illness, loss, grief, pain or other inner struggles. Our joy is to see you heal and regain your spiritual well being. Kindly reach the Chaplain for for any spiritual support through:
- info@giveasmiletoday.org
- +254 735 420001
- +254 724 766514 (WhatsApp)
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Our Chaplaincy Covenant:
I do solemnly affirm by the one who is Creator and Sustainer of life:- That I will be faithful to my calling, the profession of chaplaincy;
- That I will respect the religious and spiritual traditions of my patients, colleagues, and neighbors, as well as my own;
- That I will lead my life and practice the art of ministry in an honorable and ethical manner;
- That into whatsoever circumstances I shall enter, it shall be for the well-being of the people entrusted to my care;
- That I will utilize the authority of the pastoral office for the purpose of furthering the unfolding work of God, providing opportunity for all to receive the welcome afforded by grace;
- That I will respect the confidentiality of those who put their trust in me;
- That I will promote peace among all people valuing our diverse gifts and celebrating our common origin; With the One who is Creator and Sustainer of life and with my colleagues in the profession of chaplaincy, I solemnly and freely make this covenant.
(Adapted from the Chaplain's Covenant by Greg Perry, BCC, 1996)
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Soldiers OutreachCyber Chaplaincy to soldiers and all security personnel serving under hostile environments. Reaching out to soldiers and security personnel (both active and retired) with the love of God, giving them hope and comfort in their inner struggles. We are the outreach arm to security personnel for Give a Smile Today. Soldiers Outreach Link
Our Projects🌱 Our Projects
At Give a Smile Today, we design practical, hands-on empowerment programs that uplift the most vulnerable in society and point them to Christ. Our aim is to equip people with simple skills that can be started with little capital, using locally available resources, while also fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:18–20:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Through these projects, evangelistic chaplains serve not only as preachers but also as trainers and mentors, passing on knowledge, practical skills, and the Gospel wherever they go.
Who We Empower
Our focus is to empower those who often face the greatest barriers to independence and dignity:
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Widows & Widowers – supported with income-generating skills to sustain their families.
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Orphans & Vulnerable Children – equipped in orphan homes and schools with simple, replicable skills.
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The Disabled – introduced to accessible projects suited to their capacity.
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School Leavers & Jobless Youth – given pathways to self-employment.
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Ex-inmates & those in rehabilitation – supported with reintegration skills that give them a fresh start.
🔨 Practical Projects
Each project is intentionally simple, easy to replicate, and designed to provide both income and a platform for evangelism.
Each of these projects is designed to:
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Empower the vulnerable (widows, orphans, disabled, school leavers, ex-inmates).
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Be practical and affordable to start.
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Provide dignity through self-reliance.
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Create natural platforms for evangelism through our chaplains.
Our Biblical Foundation
Our projects are not merely about survival—they are about discipleship and transformation.
We draw from the wisdom of Scripture: work with your hands (1 Thess. 4:11), care for the poor (James 1:27), and let your light shine before men (Matt. 5:16).
Every training session and project site becomes a mission field where chaplains bring the message of salvation alongside practical empowerment.
1. 🚲 Mobile Knife Sharpening Service
Description: Using a bicycle-mounted sharpener, trainees go door-to-door sharpening knives, machetes, and farm tools.
Biblical Principle: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord” (Col. 3:23).
Startup Cost: ~$80–100 (bicycle + sharpener).
Evangelism Opportunity: Each home visit opens a door for conversation, prayer, and Gospel sharing.
2. 🌱 Urban Sack Gardening
Description: Growing vegetables and herbs in sacks or containers for food and income, especially in limited spaces.
Biblical Principle: “The Lord will bless the work of your hands” (Deut. 28:12).
Startup Cost: ~$20–30 (sacks, soil, seeds).
Evangelism Opportunity: Training gardens in schools, orphanages, or prisons double as discipleship groups.
3. 🧼 Soap & Detergent Production
Description: Making affordable bar soap, liquid soap, and disinfectants for local sale.
Biblical Principle: Caring for hygiene echoes the call to holiness—“Cleanse your hands, you sinners” (James 4:8).
Startup Cost: ~$50–70 (basic raw materials and containers).
Evangelism Opportunity: Products branded with Scripture or training integrated with Bible lessons.
4. 🧵 Tailoring & Repairs
Description: Teaching simple tailoring—uniforms, alterations, bag making—with one sewing machine.
Biblical Principle: Like Dorcas (Acts 9:36–39), tailoring blesses communities with clothing.
Startup Cost: ~$120–150 (sewing machine, starter fabric).
Evangelism Opportunity: Tailoring hubs can double as chaplaincy centers and disciple-making groups.
5. 🍯 Beekeeping & Honey Processing
Description: Producing honey and beeswax using simple hives.
Biblical Principle: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Prov. 16:24).
Startup Cost: ~$60–80 (local hives, protective gear).
Evangelism Opportunity: Honey cooperatives become gathering points for community Bible studies.
6. ♻️ Recycling & Upcycling Projects
Description: Converting plastic, paper, and waste into crafts, bricks, or household products.
Biblical Principle: Redemption—turning what is discarded into something valuable (2 Cor. 5:17).
Startup Cost: ~$30–50 (basic tools, molds).
Evangelism Opportunity: Environmental care linked to Creation stewardship (Gen. 2:15).
7. 🍞 Small-Scale Baking
Description: Chapati, mandazi, and simple cakes sold in markets, schools, and churches.
Biblical Principle: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt. 6:11).
Startup Cost: ~$40–60 (charcoal oven, flour, utensils).
Evangelism Opportunity: Food outreach—sharing both bread and the Bread of Life.
8. 📱 Mobile Phone & Computer Repair
Description: Teaching youth basic repairs and troubleshooting.
Biblical Principle: “Daniel was found ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters” (Dan. 1:20)—excellence in skills.
Startup Cost: ~$100–150 (toolkit, starter spares).
Evangelism Opportunity: Repair kiosks act as ministry points for youth evangelism.
9. 💧 Clean Water Distribution
Description: Simple water purification and packaging for resale in bottles or jerrycans.
Biblical Principle: Jesus, the Living Water (John 4:14).
Startup Cost: ~$50–80 (filters, containers).
Evangelism Opportunity: Each water point becomes a symbol of Christ’s living water.ACTION: Practical skills like these show how simple tools can transform lives while opening doors for evangelism.
🌍 Integration into Chaplaincy
Every project is more than economic empowerment—it’s a discipleship tool.
🤝 Reintegration & Evangelistic Chaplaincy
For those leaving prison or rehabilitation centers, reintegration is often a struggle. Our Evangelistic Chaplains are equipped to help in:
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Training in marketable skills (Trainers of Trainers passing on skills).
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Providing starter kits (e.g. bicycles with sharpeners, sewing machines).
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Linking them with churches and community mentors.
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Ensuring the Gospel takes root as their foundation.
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Disciple making by planting the Gospel.
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Being Community Shepherds offering guidance and hope.
Thus, our chaplains are both spiritual shepherds and trainers of trainers, multiplying impact wherever they go.
Our Partnersi. Living Water Filters This is a brilliant idea of a young man, who is making simple improvised water filters. The aim is to provide clean drinking water especially to those in the slums. ii. The Bible Project
https://thebibleproject.com Give a Smile Today makes use of the Bible project videos when carrying out outreach and mentorship programs. These are simple to follow Bible videos that helps people to understand the Bible messages. iii. Global Media Outreach Working together in making Online Evangelism/Missions possible. Global Media Outreach relies on volunteers. https://globalmediaoutreach.com iii. Naval & Military Bible Society (UK) In partnership with Naval and Military Bible Society (UK), we are distributing Camouflaged Bibles and Military edition booklets to the Kenya Defence Forces, through the soldiers outreach program - www.soldiersoutreach.orgBibles and Military edition booklets consignment received from Naval Military & Air force Bible Society: a. Combating Change b. Moral Compass c. In touch on Operations d. Inner Struggles e. The Camouflaged Bibles - New Testament & Psalms https://nmbs.org.uk iv. Christian Books Worldwide Christian Books worldwide is providing Evangelism books to Give a Smile Today library. The books are being used for Bible study and are also being loaned to pastors and to interested persons free of charge.
v. Manna Bible Institute
1. Give a smile today facilitated in the designing of a website for Manna Bible Institute - www.mannabibleinstitute.org and an E-leaning portal - www.elearning.mannabibleinstitute.org
2. Establishment of diverse courses for community empowerment. This includes:
a. Solar Energy Installation
b. Computer classes
c. Detergents & Cosmetics
d. Woodwork, Metalwork, and painting
Among other Artisan/Craft/Certificate & Diploma Technical courses.
vi. Rowan Self Help Group
In partnership with Rowan Self Help Group, we are offering training on sign language to community leaders, pastors and health care professionals. This enables them to reach and relate well with those who have hearing challenges.
vii. International Christian Literature Distributors (ICLD) ICLD has provided a collection of Christian literature for use in evangelism and for establishment of Give a Smile Today library. The library loans books free of charge to pastors, leaders and lay people who want to increase their knowledge.
If you would like to partner with us in Community Chaplaincy & Empowerment, kindly do email us at: info@giveasmiletoday.org
How to GiveOnline Donations can be made through the button below:
Local Donations can be made through our MPESA PAYBILL No: 222911 Account No: Give#
ContactsP.o.Box 4949 - 00200 Nairobi, Kenya. Cell Phone: 0735420001 Email: info@giveasmiletoday.org
