Tarek Alsaleh, a German-Syrian entrepreneur, studied sport science at Cologne University in Germany. After he graduated he set up a business, running a successful gym in his hometown. In 2007, however, life circumstances brought him to Damascus. One day, while he practiced capoeira in the streets of Damascus, playing instruments and singing, a few local children joined him. They enjoyed the funny movements and the unfamiliar sound of berimbau. They invited their friends, and soon more and more children had come to practice with Alsaleh. During this time an idea struck him and he decided to dedicate himself to teaching this art to local kids by starting a capoeira group in Damascus. Eventually he expanded his teaching to poor areas of Iraq and Palestine, and soon the number of his students reached a thousand per year.

In beginning Alsaleh taught in a Damascus based UN refugee camp for Iraqis. There he faced an obstacle: Syrian children would interrupt capoeira classes by throwing stones at the refugee Iraqi kids. Alsaleh realized that the local children were jealous. The UN had built a new school for refugees, improving quality of life, while locals remained living in terrible conditions. Alsaleh asked the teachers in the camp if he could invite the Syrian kids to his capoeira classes. The response he received was negative — those two peoples were enemies. Regardless he persisted in attempting to unite locals and refugees. In two weeks he succeeded: a few Damascus boys had come to his class. Of course, the Iraqis and the Syrians didn't want to play together, but this is where capoeira helped. In capoeira you don't choose a partner. Regardless of your own preferences, you must shake hands with each other and start the game. After a few weeks, Iraqi and Syrian kids began practicing movements in pairs, sometimes even before the actual class had started. It was a huge success. The local teachers couldn't believe their eyes.

With a help of capoeira curators and volunteers from around the world create safe space for children in need, where they can play, learn important skills and lead a healthy life, as well as distract themselves from the difficulties they face in real life.

Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art and its artistic part plays a key role in teaching these children. Thanks to capoeira, an art with no losers or winners, children become self-confident and find friends among those who they considered as enemies. The program has five main aspects of development. Organizers help children stay healthy, assist needy communities and cultivate the idea of gender equality. During classes children learn things that do not exist in their school program such as choreography, music, creative thinking as well as create leadership, communication and dialogue. Most importantly, they promote anti-radicalism ideas.

Another important mission is the education of new instructors among local athletes. Founders consider it as an essential part of their work, because only local instructors understand the problems and needs of their people and have full knowledge of social relationships in their country. "Capoeira for refugees" helps them take responsibility and develop leadership skills so that they can serve as an example for younger generations.