After having fled from conflict in Syria themselves, the Selam ("Peace") Center was initially founded in 2013 in Nazib, Turkey by Manar Damour & her mother Sameera Kanjo as a humble safehaven for a small number of the most poignant victims of the ongoing Syrian conflict, those children who tragically lost one or both of their parents.  As conflict escalated, so did the center's need to shelter the rapidly growing number of Syrian widows & orphans fleeing north to Turkey.  Within one year, the Selam Center grew from housing 15 children to 45 children.  In July 2017, the Selam Center moved to its current location in Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey to accomodate these ever-increasing demands.  

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The Selam Center currently stands as the largest Syrian orphanage in Turkey, hosting more than 200 orphans & 50 widows in 63 small flats. It is entirely volunteer-owned & operated by Syrian refugees for Syrian refugees.  It operates solely on the kindness & generosity of donors.  In addition to providing its residents with the basic needs of housing & food, the center also provides educational, mental health, & employment assistance free of charge.  The Selam Center provides a stable, safe, & nurturing community whereby the traumatized children & women who call it home can begin to heal.