Melhem Kanso was born in Mukhtara in el Shouf, heartland of Mount Lebanon. Growing up in the heyday of Ottoman rule and seeing the country around him in sectarian division and with little prospect of gaining freedom and independence, he felt a compelling desire to leave and embark on a voyage across the oceans in pursuit of a more promising future.

At the age of 14, Melhem boarded a ship in Beirut and set out to explore the world beyond. After a stay in Spain, he came to the United States making his way to New York and Pennsylvania.  Later, he went to Latin America staying a while in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Following the direction his life would take, he moved to Mexico and settled in Pachuca, capital city of Hidalgo State where he established a center for the manufacturing and distribution of cotton and linen. Textile outlets were opened in Mexico city, Puebla, and Veracruz. As his business developed in the prosperous Sierra Madre Oriental, one of Mexico's richest silver mining districts, he broadened his businness range into the field of mining and metallurgy.

The circumstances and events of Mexico's revolutionary period from 1910 through the 1920s and 1930s brought him into contact with Mexico's leading public and revolutionary figures, and turned his attention and focus on the devastation, destitution, and poverty caused by the consternation of terror and war, and the resulting terrible conditions of the people, especially the elderly, the women and children who became destitute and resigned themselves to the worst. 

With devoted dedication to his mission of overcoming strife and chaos with love and compassion, he felt a deep sense of responsibility toward human causes, and directed his energy and resources toward helping provide food and shelter for the poor and refugees. He set up a center in Pachuca for sheltering orphans, and over the course of many years dedicated every Friday for the distribution of food, clothing, medical assistance, and money for thousands of refugees and the needy.
 
The extraordinary outpouring of his generosity and his life-long commitment to the needy and unfortunate touched many lives. People felt a tremendous fulfillment in his persona and spoke of his infinite goodness and compassion. They relate details, episodes and events of his life that read like legends, yet they all are real and true. There are several instances in which he would risk his life and the security of his business to defend and save someone who has been unjustly condemned to imprisonment or death. On one occasion he obtained a pardon for an innocent man minutes before his scheduled execution.

He always looked deeply at the immensity of humanism, and found much inspiration in man’s quest for truth and goodness, and the potential to make a difference in the world around. He paved the way for many relatives and compatriots to come to America and fulfill their dreams. He reached out to families in his native land in supporting educational programs for children, construction of roads, and implementation of electric and water projects. His position and relations provided him the opportunity to promote deeper appreciation and understanding of Lebanese Syrian Arab culture in the Amercas through strong commitment and support of various institutions, organizations, and publications.