Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) has launched its achingly powerful portrait photography campaign that exposes the devastating impact of gun violence on children in high-risk areas like Hanover Park and surrounding areas on the Cape Flats. The campaign was developed in partnership with M+C Saatchi Abel - part of Africa’s largest independently owned group of creative companies The Up&Up Group.
The campaign strengthens Gun Free SA’s position as the leading voice advocating for safer communities, by reducing gun violence through stricter firearm regulations, and removing illegal guns from circulation.
Instead of focusing on the brutality of shootings, the ‘If I Grow Up’ campaign shines a light on what is truly at stake: the futures of children growing up in communities where gunfire has become part of their daily life. Rather than relying on graphic imagery or numbers, the campaign reframes the national conversation on gun violence through striking portraits of real children, each sharing what they want to be one day, with the campaign line, ‘If I Grow Up’ forcing audiences to confront the heartbreaking reality that for many South African children, growing up is not a guarantee. This simple line creates a powerful tension between hope and reality that audiences will immediately understand and connect with.
“The objective is to keep gun violence in the national conversation and continue building public support for stronger gun control measures,” says Dr Stanley Maphosa, the executive director of Gun Free South Africa. “It highlights the dangers of life in communities where nearly 200 children are killed annually. We want people to stop seeing gun violence as just another headline and instead recognise its human cost.”
Impossible to ignore
By focusing on children’s aspirations of becoming doctors, teachers and athletes, the campaign makes the human cost impossible to ignore – reminding South Africans that every child deserves a future that is not being threatened by a stray bullet.
Delano Chengan, creative director at M+C Saatchi Abel, explains: “This campaign is a reminder that reducing gun violence isn’t just about saving lives, it’s about protecting children’s futures.”
The message comes across loud and clear that every child deserves the chance to dream about their future. Gun violence robs them of that right, and stronger gun control helps protect children and communities. By focusing on children’s aspirations, the campaign gets straight to the heart of the human cost, making it impossible to ignore.
Awareness is key
“The campaign is designed to sustain awareness and generate meaningful media coverage, ensuring gun violence remains a pressing issue in South Africa. By reinforcing Gun Free SA’s position as the leading voice advocating for safer communities, it builds momentum for stronger gun control measures,” says M+C Saatchi Abel MD Masego Motsogi.
The campaign targets all South Africans through the deployment of various digital, print and social media touchpoints, while opening up opportunities for exhibitions and community engagement. This multi-channel approach ensures the message resonates widely - from policymakers to parents - and encourages collective action to protect children’s futures.
“This campaign is a challenge for the audience to stop and ask themselves why something as simple as growing up has become such an uncertainty for so many children. If we can challenge the idea that gun violence is simply a part of life in these communities and get people to see it as something that can and should change, then we’ve started an important conversation,” says M+C Saatchi Abel copywriter Anele Mjali.
The ‘If I Grow Up’ campaign is simple, unexpected, and deeply human. By inviting South Africans to look into the eyes of children and imagine the futures they deserve and dream of, it brings home the message: gun violence doesn’t only take lives – it steals futures.
