Community infrastructure should begin with questions, not drawings.

Who will use the space? What already works? What is difficult today? What can be maintained locally?

The strongest design decisions are often the ones made after listening carefully enough.

#CommunityDesign #InfrastructureForImpact #DesignForGood #GlobalDevelopment

Our work with Umoja was shaped by many people: local leadership, teachers, builders, supporters and volunteers.

Branches contributed resources and delivery support, but the lasting value belongs to the community using and caring for the spaces every day.

#UmojaTanzania #CommunityPartnership #EducationAccess #LocalLeadership

Our project in Indonesia has a name: PROJECT TUMBUH!

In Indonesia, “tumbuh” means “to grow”. We chose it because it captures what we hope to support through our work with YCAB in Pekalongan: opportunities for people, relationships, learning, and community life to grow.

At Branches Community Projects, we believe that meaningful design starts with understanding the people who will use a space. Before discussing buildings, materials, or layouts, we ask what a place should make possible. How can it help people feel welcome? Where can they connect, share knowledge, build confidence, and imagine new possibilities?

Tumbuh brings those questions together in one simple word.
Growth needs the right conditions. Just as a tree needs strong roots, care, and room to branch out, a community needs spaces that support its ambitions, reflect its culture, and respond to everyday life. Our role is to listen, collaborate, and help create those conditions alongside our local partners.

The name also connects naturally to Branches. Roots remind us to stay grounded in place and community. Branches represent connection and possibility. Growth reminds us that the value of a project continues through the people who use it, long after construction is complete.

Choosing an Indonesian name reflects our intention for this project to belong to the place it serves. It expresses a shared ambition to support something that can keep developing over time.

Project Tumbuh is our commitment to helping create space for that growth, together with YCAB and the community in Pekalongan.

#BranchesCommunityProjects #YCABFoundation #Pekalongan #Indonesia #PROJECTTUMBUH

A good idea is not enough on its own.

We look at local leadership, genuine need, long-term ownership, operational sustainability and whether Branches can add useful skills without taking control. Saying no can be difficult, but discipline protects every promise we make.

#ProjectCriteria #Transparency #ResponsibleImpact #NonprofitGovernance

All projects begin with listening. A building what we are doing in partnership with YCAB and Pekalongan is no different. We have to understand the process and the needs before we can act further.

Our discovery process brings together community leaders, women’s and youth groups, educators, craftspeople, government, environmental experts, artists, architects, and YCAB’s team. Each voice helps us understand how people gather, work, learn, celebrate and move through Pekalongan. This is not consultation added at the end. It is evidence that will shape the project from the beginning, including its entrances, shaded gathering areas, classrooms, workshops, safety, accessibility and daily operating rhythm. By combining local knowledge with technical research, we can create a place that feels familiar, useful and owned by the community it is intended to serve.

This is not just us creating solo… we also putting together a Design brief to go out to competition in the upcoming months. Make sure you stay following us to keep up with the journey!

#BranchesCommunityProjects #YCABFoundation #OurProcess #Desgningwithintent #Comprehensive

Four years ago today, Branches Community Projects officially incorporated after 2 years of ideating and planning how we can make a different. It began with a simple idea: use what we know, keep learning and work alongside communities to build something lasting. We are proud of how far the journey has taken us, grateful to everyone who has trusted us and still humbled by how much there is to learn. The list of things that have happened over that time are extensive. We hope you will scroll and enjoy the journey with us. To get involved more, visit our website or make a donation. We hope you will join us for year 5! #branchescommunityprojects #tanzania #education #community #volunteer