SOCIAL CAPITAL OF POOR FEMALE-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS IN ADDRESSING SOCIOECONOMIC PROBLEMS IN SOREANG VILLAGE BANDUNG REGENCY

Abstract

Poor female-headed households are a vulnerable group facing complex socio-economic challenges. Limited access to economic resources, education, and social protection places these women in disadvantaged positions in sustaining their families. This study aims to analyze the role of social capital among poor female-headed households in addressing socio-economic problems in Soreang Village, Soreang District, Bandung Regency, Indonesia. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed. Participants were poor women who served as de facto heads of their households and were selected purposively. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation, and analyzed using data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing, and cross-case analysis. The findings indicate that bonding social capital is the dominant form of social capital and serves as an important buffer for household survival through support from immediate and extended family members. In contrast, bridging and linking social capital remain relatively limited. Social networks beyond the family are underdeveloped, while access to government assistance tends to be protective and consumption-oriented rather than empowerment-oriented. Consequently, the strategies adopted by poor female-headed households are predominantly adaptive and survival-oriented rather than transformative. The study concludes that social capital has significant potential as a foundation for empowerment, but its utilization is constrained by structural vulnerabilities and limited access to broader social networks and institutional resources. Strengthening sustainable, integrated, and gender-responsive empowerment programs is therefore essential