MANAR DAMOUR
Founder, CEO
Born to Sameera Kanjo in Aleppo, Syria, Manar cofounded the Selam Center with her mother & brother Muhammmad in 2013 after fleeing from conflict in Syria to Turkey. As the daughter of an orphaned Syrian woman & the immigrant wife of a Turkish man & mother of three young children, Manar possesses a unique personal understanding of the oversight of the financial, health, & educational support systems for the children & mothers at the Selam Center. She holds a Masters Degree in Architecture, & is currently working towards a Masters Degree in NGO Management.
SAMEERA KANJO
Founder, Center Director
Born in 1959 in Aleppo, Syria, Sameera lost both of her parents as a young child, her mother first by leukemia at age six & subsequently her father by heart attack just one year later. The experience of such profound loss at a young age is one she shares with all the children & motivates her tireless & inspired daily work at the Selam Center where she lives six days per week, taking only Sunday off to visit her family. Sameera is responsible for overseeing the daily life of the approximately 200 orphans & 50 widows that call the center their home. She has four children from her marriage of 41 years. Her daughter Manar Damour is the cofounder & CEO of the Selam Center. Her son Muhammad Damour is the center's third cofounder & director of communication & fundraising.
MUHAMMAD DAMOUR
Founder, Communications & Fundraising Director
Muhammad is the elder son of Sameera & younger brother of Manar. Fluent in three languages (Arabic, Turkish, & English), he is primarily responsible for fundraising & communication with donors. Muhammad possesses a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering, as well as a Masters Degree in Business Management.
