Build for Public (June Meetup): Volunteer, Learn, and Ship Open Source for Non-profits
Build for Public is a community of volunteer builders—developers, designers, and tech enthusiasts—who ship free, open-source software for NGOs, nonprofits, and community projects. 🌍
Join us for our very first in-person Build for Public meetup! 👋
(☕ Space is strictly limited to 15 spots to keep it cozy, so RSVP quick!)
If you are a non-profit:
Come and get a free website/apps!
Developers will sit down with you and build you a site in couple hours, it'd be best to prepare copywriting & photos for the site beforehand.
If you are tech developer/enthusiast:
This isn't a conference with long lectures. It's a hands-on, collaborative build session. Come hang out, meet other local builders, pick up an open-source issue or NGO project, and ship some code for a good cause. 🤝💻
⏳ Time & Place
🗓 Date: Sunday, 28 June 2026
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
📍 Location: The Ruai Room
🌱 Why Join Us?
Whether you’re a complete beginner, a student looking for experience, or a seasoned coder, this space is for you!
🧠 Learn & Grow: No experience? No problem! We'll teach you how to use AI tools and "vibe code" to build things fast. Perfect for leveling up your skills.
🌍 Real-World Impact: Contribute to actual NGOs and open-source projects. Build your portfolio with real-world experience while coding for a good cause!
🤝 Community Vibe: Meet local builders, mentors, and tech enthusiasts in a low-pressure, supportive cafe setting.
🗓️ The Agenda (12:00 PM - 3:00 PM)
👋 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Arrivals & Warmup Grab a seat, settle in, and meet your fellow builders. ☕
📢 12:30 PM – 12:45 PM | Briefing & Pitches We’ll explain how Build for Public works and walk through the Projects Board, featuring real tech requests and requirements from non-profits. We'll also highlight open-source projects looking for contributors.
(Are you an open-source maintainer or from a non-profit? You’ll get 1-3 minutes to pitch your project to the room!) 🎤🛠️ 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM | Heads Down Building Pick a project, form a squad (or work solo), and start building. Mentors and experienced builders will be around to help you set up, use AI tools, debug, and learn as you go! 🚀
🎉 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM | Show & Tell & Wrap-up Demo whatever progress you made (no matter how small!). Please log your work on the BFP website so we can promote your projects on social media, and properly credit and appreciate your volunteering. 🙌 We'll wrap up with a group photo! 📸
After 3:00 PM, you're welcome to stick around to keep building or head out.
📍 Venue & Food
We'll be at The Ruai Room. To support our wonderful host venue and prevent drop-offs, we are charging an RM15 commitment fee.
🎟️ Yes, this RM15 fee includes one free drink of your choice! 🥤 Such as: Ice Lemon Tea, Teh Tarik, Kopi O, etc. (Any excess from this fee goes directly toward supporting venue, keeping BFP running and sponsoring tech operations for non-profits, like domain names and server costs! 💖)
While catered food isn't provided, we highly encourage everyone to grab an extra snack from the cafe to keep your energy up! 🍰☕
🎒 What to bring
💻 Your laptop and charger
🧠 An appetite to build and help out
🤖 Your AI tools: We highly recommend having your own paid AI subscription (like ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, or Cursor) for the best coding experience No paid AI? No problem! You can use free tools like Gemini or Antigravity (though the coding experience can be a bit more limited), or you can jump in on design, writing, or project planning instead!
Whether you're a seasoned developer, a designer, or just starting out, there's a place for you to contribute. Let's build something that matters! ✨
Huge thank you to our sponsor Trae for supporting this meetup