In developing and least developed economies, traditional and spatially bound communities play a critical role in bridging the gap when formal social welfare systems fall short in meeting essential needs. While the role of traditional communities in addressing societal issues is well recognized, research on imagined communities as agents of social welfare is a new and rapidly developing area of study. This study uses the foundational tenets of Ubuntu to examine the ways in which imagined communities—influenced by social media—use their collective agency to address gaps in Kenya’s formal social welfare system. Drawing data from three storytellers’ YouTube channels, we conducted a thematic analysis of 15 personal accounts to determine how storytellers leverage their social media presence, institutional knowledge, and community trust to address gaps in an under-resourced social welfare system. Findings indicate that personal stories shared and amplified through these digital platforms resonate with the imagined community, forming emotional connections that transcend geographic and socioeconomic boundaries. We identify key actors—storytellers, beneficiaries, public institutions, and the globally dispersed imagined community—and explore how their interactions enhance community well-being. This exploration highlights the crucial role that storytelling through social media plays in mobilizing support and fostering social connections.

中文翻译：

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研究社交媒体和想象中的社区在解决肯尼亚社会福利差距中的作用

在发展中经济体和最不发达经济体中，当正规社会福利制度无法满足基本需求时，传统社区和受空间限制的社区在弥合差距方面发挥着关键作用。虽然传统社区在解决社会问题方面的作用已得到广泛认可，但将想象中的社区作为社会福利代理人的研究是一个新的且快速发展的研究领域。本研究使用 Ubuntu 的基本原则来研究受社交媒体影响的想象社区如何利用其集体机构来解决肯尼亚正规社会福利体系中的差距。我们从三个讲故事的人的 YouTube 频道中提取数据，对 15 个个人账户进行了主题分析，以确定讲故事的人如何利用他们的社交媒体形象、机构知识和社区信任来解决资源不足的社会福利系统中的差距。研究结果表明，通过这些数字平台分享和放大的个人故事与想象中的社区产生共鸣，形成超越地理和社会经济界限的情感联系。我们确定了关键参与者——故事讲述者、受益人、公共机构和全球分散的想象社区——并探索他们的互动如何增强社区福祉。这种探索强调了通过社交媒体讲故事在动员支持和培养社会联系方面发挥的关键作用。