Ubuntu in the network: Humanness in social capital in rural Africa

There is a need to design tools that richly support an ubuntu identity for South Africa to enable local people to reproduce their own system of social capital. Social capital involves recognizing and responding to patterns of conduct within social relations, which contain meanings about personhood or concepts about self. The concept of ubuntu in Nguni languages translates to the being human of a human being is noticed through his or her being human through human beings. Communication protocols in which villagers perform identity are not well supported by available media since display of unity demands transparent, frequent contact. Sometimes expense marginalizes villagers' use of ICT. These actions involve a level of autonomous choice that may be more open to those inhabiting a diverse nexus and familiar with performing multiple distinct identities.