Providing Welfare Services: Volunteering in Social Empowerment for The Marginalized Baduy Mualaf Community in Banten, Indonesia

The Baduy tribe in Lebak Regency, Banten Province, adheres to the Sunda Wiwitan belief system, but some members have converted to Islam. This decision excluded them from customary territories, resulting in poverty, loss of housing, and land insecurity. The novelty of this study lies in conceptualizing volunteerism as a mechanism of welfare service provision that promotes social and economic empowerment among the marginalized Baduy Mualaf community in Banten. This study examines how volunteerism contributes to the social and economic empowerment of the Baduy Mualaf, while also exploring the challenges and limitations of these initiatives. A qualitative descriptive-explanatory approach was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation during fieldwork in 2023. Thematic coding was applied to identify patterns of volunteerism and empowerment practices. The findings show that voluntary actions began with providing land for settlements and farming and were later institutionalized through foundations that manage empowerment programs. These efforts have supported the Baduy Mualaf's survival and recognition. However, challenges remain, including limited government involvement, donor dependence, and weak internal governance within the foundations. Volunteerism has provided crucial welfare support to the Baduy Mualaf through housing provision, access to agricultural land, livelihood assistance, and social and religious support. Yet, its potential is constrained by structural and institutional issues. Stronger collaboration between civil society and government is needed to ensure sustainable empowerment. Future research should focus on policies that integrate local cultural contexts with broader frameworks of social welfare and voluntarism.