North Cobb constantly improves, furnishing a home to students who carry the potential to “make it happen.” Students engage themselves with their school community through various means such as sports, community service, extracurricular classes, clubs, and more. This school year, seniors Sally Murtadhi and Arsheen Kour set out in hopes of creating North Cobb’s first humanitarian club: Humans for Humans.

Arsheen Kour

“Humans for Humans definitely has to be one of my biggest high school accomplishments. It was a great experience and I feel incredibly proud of those who joined and helped make our dream a reality,” said Murtadhi.

Why? Perhaps the most common question that pops up: “why did you guys start humans for humans?” The answer remains simple: why not, when many dream of making real change? Growing up, Murtadhi and Kour aspired to become better people, and in turn, help others in need. They strive to reach success in offering support to those who suffer.

“Growing up, I would always tell people that I wanted to make a change. In return, people would laugh and tell me that I was too young to really do anything and that I didn’t know what I was talking about,” Murtadhi explained.

Growing up, both Murtadhi and Kour constantly heard the same phrase over and over again: “you’re too young to do anything.” But after years and years of rejection,  they decided that they were not “too young.” And although they could not make large-scale changes on their own, they could at least do something. And that something resulted in the creation of Humans for Humans.

“I feel that a lot of people want to be humanitarians and do something for the community. But for people to actually go out and create a club? That’s dedication. I’m really happy I joined, it was a great experience and really helped me want to get more involved in my community as well as worldly issues. I never knew that North Cobb had so many people passionate about global issues,” said senior Alyan Saeed.

How? Creating a club definitely sounds easier than people perceive it. Kour and Murtadhi learned this the hard way.

The idea sprung during their junior year of high school. During a conversation in which they both expressed their desire to join the Peace Corps and offer aid to those in need, Murtadhi expressed that she wanted to start a club. Kour agreed to her idea and suggested creating a humanitarian club.

Although they cannot join the Peace Corps now or travel to foreign countries and offer aid, they can start small. And what better way to start small other than creating a club? As soon as senior year began,  Kour and Murtadhi plunged themselves into the club- making process. The process proved easier said than done.

Without a teacher to sponsor our club, Humans for Human could not become a reality.

After talking to several teachers, Murtadhi and Kour came upon AP World History teacher Mrs. Galloway, who wholeheartedly agreed to sponsoring the club. With the first step out of the way, Murtadhi and Kour then needed to search North Cobb for ten fellow students, each with a goal to better North Cobb and the community.

“When I heard that there was a humanitarian club being created, I immediately got super excited. I mean, it sounded like such a cool experience, and it really was. I am really happy I got to be in Humans for Humans. I get excited for every meeting and whenever one gets cancelled, I can not help but feel a little down,” sophomore Andrea Ordanio said.

Who? After advertising Humans for Humans on several social media sites and hanging a few flyers, a total of 15 eager students approached Kour and Murtadhi, each expressing interest in joining the club. Some of the most avid humanitarians in the club consist of  junior Nabila Pranto, sophomores Samuel Vang, Bethel Mino, and Tiara Franco as well as seniors Makayla Brimmage and Alyan Saeed. Currently, both Murtadhi and Kour serve as club presidents as they run and organize meetings. Next year, juniors Nabila Pranto and Bethel Mino will take over and continue Humans for Humans.

Arsheen Kour

“I would love to become the president for Humans for Humans, I am very passionate when it comes to providing aid to the community. I know I had a great time this year and I can not wait to see what we do next year,”  junior Nabila Pranto said.

What? What occurs in a typical humans for humans meeting?

Typically, Murtadhi and Kour gather members around in a circle to discuss current events and global and controversial issues. Then, each member expresses their opinion on the said matter.

After making one round around the circle, everyone usually contains a strong opinion and an open discussion occurs in which students may debate with one another or browse ideas on how to better certain situations.

Occasionally, Kour and Murtadhi hold meetings that emphasize humanitarian-like behaviour. For example, Galloway’s sister, a member of the peace corps, paid a visit during a humans for humans meeting and discussed her experience in the peace corps. Humans for Humans members also decided to create janitor and custodian appreciation posters one afternoon to spread the love around North Cobb high school.

“My favorite humans for humans meeting was when Ms. Galloway’s sister came in. It was so neat to speak with an actual member of the peace corps and see her experience. It definitely encouraged me to want to join the peace corps eventually,” said senior Makayla Brimmage.

Humans for Humans hopes to aid North Cobb and the community next year as well. As something that started off as a mere thought, both Murtadhi and Kour remain incredibly proud of the club and everyone involved. It was a great experience and both seniors plan to continue Humans for Humans in college.

“Do I plan to join another humanitarian or global issues club in college? Definitely. Humans for Humans has provided such a great place for people to vent and discuss issues that need to be discussed,” said Murtadhi.