You've got to be patient. It takes a lot of work before you start to see results for your efforts. I spend quite a few hours on steemit every day. I believe that you can earn a decent income through steemit but ...it's not a get rich quick scheme.

Why don't you write about things you are really passionate about? It sounds like your community is really important to you. Why not start sharing your community with steemit? Write about the people, local events, share photos and stories about what life is like there. A lot of people are really interested in learning about other cultures and enjoy real life stories.

There are also various contests on steemit that can help boost you up a bit. They are fun to enter and help you to connect with more people.

I am no expert but that's what I would do. All the best to you! :)