Founder Christine Williams worked as an urban warfare expert and instructor during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq from 2002 to 2006. After observing the effect of war on innocent civilians and particularly children, she saw that despite best efforts by other organizations, children were still being harmed and exploited in conflict.  More needed to be done.

Enter the social media revolution.

The explosion of online networking meant that even by the smallest organizations in developing countries could connect with each other.  Christine decided it was time to get everyone talking.  Organization to organization, individual to educator, student to researcher, people to people. Sharing ideas, strategies, lessons learned.  And have it all in one place where people could access the data, discuss and collaborate.  In 2008 it started as an idea, which morphed into a blog and two years later Child Soldier Relief Foundation was born.