Liverpool HIV charity Sahir is hoping to launch a new children’s book designed to tackle HIV stigma by starting conversations early — with kindness, honesty and understanding.

Mum’s Secret Medicine, written by Summer Manjares, is aimed at children aged around 8–11 and tells the story of a child growing up with a mum who is living with HIV.

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Through a warm and accessible family story, the book explains that modern HIV treatment keeps people healthy, challenges outdated myths about the virus and encourages children to respond with understanding rather than fear.

Sahir’s ambition is to produce enough copies to offer the book to every primary school across the Liverpool City Region.

Before that can happen, the charity needs to raise funds to professionally illustrate, print and distribute the book. The estimated printing cost alone is £154,400, and Sahir is now looking for businesses, charitable trusts, organisations and individual supporters who can help make the project a reality.

Author Summer Manjares said:

“Children are naturally curious, and often they are far more open-minded than adults. I wrote Mum’s Secret Medicine because HIV should never be something surrounded by shame, secrecy or fear.“At its heart, this is a story about a family, a mum who takes medicine to stay healthy, and a child learning that HIV does not change who somebody is or how much they are loved.”

Simon Harris, CEO of Sahir, said:

“Medical science has transformed HIV, but stigma has not always kept pace. We can wait until children become adults before trying to undo prejudice, or we can give them the facts, compassion and understanding from the very beginning.“Our dream is to put Mum’s Secret Medicine into primary schools right across the Liverpool City Region. It is an ambitious project and we simply cannot do it alone. We need an illustrator, we need funding for printing and we need partners who believe, as we do, that the next generation can grow up free from HIV stigma.”

Sahir has supported people living with HIV across Merseyside for more than 40 years. Today, effective treatment means people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives, while those on treatment with an undetectable viral load cannot pass HIV on sexually.

The charity hopes Mum’s Secret Medicine can help ensure the next generation grows up knowing the facts — and rejecting the stigma.

Businesses, funders, illustrators and organisations interested in supporting the project are encouraged to contact Sahir.

ENDS