Ever since the April 26^th earthquake, Nepal has been in a hardship. The earthquake hasn’t been given enough attention from countries around the world, and more has to be done in order for the country to recover.

According to the Humanitarian Data Exchange, as of May 25, the earthquake has killed 8,500 people and injured more than 17,000 people. It’s the worst natural disaster to strike Nepal since 1934, has destroyed many villages and buildings, and has made many homeless. The earthquake has affected more than 8.1 million, or one-fourth, of the country’s population, and many need aid and support, but aren’t getting it.

Science teacher Michael Verdi said the earthquake has “destroyed their country. It has made them struggle, and the country will have to rebuild and heal. They’ll have to find a way to influence their citizens that it’s safe.”

The country has gotten little money from outside sources since the earthquake has occurred. According to an article on BBC News, as of May 25, “The United Nations has appealed for $423 million to be able to provide up to two million survivors with basic relief such as tents or tarpaulin sheets, dry food rations, safe drinking water and toilets for the next three months. The United Nations Financial Tracking System shows that $92.4 million has been raised so far – only 22% of the required funds.

In order for the country to recover, more money will need to be pledged in order to help out the millions who’ve been affected. Ninety-two million dollars out of the $423 million requested just isn’t enough, and there needs to be a better effort to pledge more money quicker. For a natural disaster that’s affected the country immensely and it being about a month since the earthquake occurred, it’s sad and stupid more money hasn’t been pledged by countries all over the world.

Compared to previous earthquakes that have occurred recently, like the one in Haiti in 2010, Nepal has been given little money. According to Robin King of the Toronto Star in early May, “When a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, aid flooded in from around the world. Right away, Haiti received 73% of the $1.5 billion requested, while Nepal had only received 2% of the $415 million requested.”

How could just 2% of the money Nepal needed have only been pledged when it first occurred? That’s outrageous, and compared to the amount of money Haiti got pledged at first, it makes it absurd. Nepal even had a higher magnitude earthquake than Haiti, but still had received very little money it needed, and because Nepal received little money at first, that trend has continued up until today.

The government of Nepal has done little to help the country recover. According to Pete Pattisson of The Guardian, who thinks the handling of aid to the people of Nepal has been handled poorly. He wrote, “But elsewhere in Nepal, the wait has continued. In the village of Barkobot, every one of the 75 houses in the village have been severely damaged or destroyed, but no one has received any help from the government.”

In order for the country to recover from the earthquake, it starts with the government, and it’s heartbreaking the government isn’t helping its citizens that much. If the government is unwilling and not giving enough effort to help people quickly outside the capital, then something needs to be done. The government needs to be forced to help people outside of the country quickly, but if it can’t, then outside organizations or countries need to do so, or else many more will die.

The country needs lots of international support in order to recover. Mark Scialla of CBC News thinks Nepal needs immense international support to recover from the earthquake. He wrote, “Nepal’s government will need immense international support as the Himalayan nation begins turning its attention towards reconstruction in the coming weeks, in the wake of the devastating earthquake. Nepal is one of the world’s poorest countries, and its economy, based largely on tourism, has been crippled by the earthquake, and it will be enormously expensive to rebuild the country.”

History teacher Edward Beck said, “The earthquake has devastated the country. Nepal isn’t one of the wealthiest countries, and it will have to appeal for more international aid because they can’t do it on their own, or else it will stretch their resources.”

Nepal needs to get more attention from countries like the US in order to recover. With how poor the country is, it’s necessary for other countries to give more attention and support of rebuilding the country.

The earthquake hasn’t gotten enough attention because it’s been overshadowed by other problems. Beck said, “It’s gotten an alright and fair amount of attention, but there could be more. Problems in our country have overshadowed it.”

Verdi said the earthquake hasn’t been given enough attention because of “distance and not being able to closely relate to them. They aren’t in our backyard, and are out of sight from us.”

Even though other problems in our country and us not being as closely related to them might cause us to pay less attention to the earthquake, our country still must find a way to get more involved in aiding Nepal as much as possible. Many people are suffering and struggling in Nepal, and we just can’t ignore that.

It all comes down to countries around the world willing to help Nepal in order for the country to recover.  Beck said, “It will take the ‘global villages’ and international community coming together to help them.” If countries around the world fail to do so, then Nepal has a very dark and bleak future ahead of uncertainty.