The Child Soldier Reintegration Fund (CSRF) was created in 2007. After a trip to Ghana in the summer of 2007, CSRF President Penelope Bissett was keenly aware of the obstacles child soldiers face in reintegrating into society.

CSRF was created in order to assist former child soldiers attain what had been denied them: some semblance of a normal life. Most of the former child soldiers Ms. Bissett came into contact with had been taken from their homes at a very young age, and had missed out on the opportunity to be educated.

The problem with ignoring the needs of this population is simple to understand. They have only been taught to do one thing: kill or be killed. They desperately want to be able to live a different life, to have the opportunities that other people have, and to be able to feed themselves and their families.

When a disadvantaged population is stuck in a desperate situation, they are forced to find unconventional means to survive.

One former child soldier alleged, “If I cannot feed myself, if I cannot feed my family, I am forced to pick up the gun. It is the only way I know.”

CSRF seeks to provide the opportunity for each former child soldier to become literate. We want to provide an opportunity for former child soldiers to receive vocational training, to learn a skill. Through partnerships with schools, organizations, and individuals, we will attain this goal, creating a better tomorrow.