Originally from Aleppo, he grew up and was raised in Istanbul, Turkey, speaking Arabic and Turkish as his mother tongues. He is a graduate of Landscape Architecture from Istanbul University and has completed postgraduate studies in Civilizations, specializing in the management of civil society organizations at the same university. He has been active in Turkish civil society since its inception. With the arrival of the first waves of Syrian refugees to Turkey, he worked in media and humanitarian support. He is married and has four children.