Congratulations to MArch student Safea Suhaib Al-Rawi, who is the first recipient of the Labid Al-Fakhri Scholarship.
Worth £20,000 per year, the Labid Al-Fakhri Scholarship was established to support undergraduate students from Iraq, of Iraqi heritage, or from the Middle East more broadly.
The award is funded by a generous donation from Mrs Patricia Al-Fakhri, in memory of her late husband, Labid. Born in Baghdad in 1941, Labid graduated from the Liverpool School of Architecture in 1967, and worked in several architectural practices before being offered a position in the UAE. In 1979, he established his own business which, by the time he retired in 2019, had 35 employees.
"I’ve dreamed of becoming an architect and designing spaces that carry meaning, purpose, and beauty”, said Safea from Baghdad, Iraq. “Receiving the Labid Al-Fakhri Scholarship didn’t just support my education, it affirmed that this dream is within reach. It reminded me that my story, my identity, and my aspirations matter.
“I carry this honour with pride as an Muslim Iraqi student, and I’m determined to continue this journey with even greater purpose and passion. Thank you for giving me such a meaningful opportunity and for helping me make my family proud. I am incredibly grateful for this support, which recognises my hard work and motivates me further as I continue my journey at the University of Liverpool.”
Safea, who previously studied BA Architecture at the University, added: “I would be like to offer a special thank you to Mrs. Al-Fakhri for coming all the way to be part of this moment – I feel fortunate and deeply honoured.
“My sincere thanks also go to Professor Iain Jackson and Professor Ola Uduku, our Head of School, for their support, encouragement, and their confidence in me and for acknowledging my efforts.”
Professor Iain Jackon, who led on the selection process, commented: “Safea presented a strong case for this award - she had an excellent portfolio of work that was investigating the architecture and planning of Liverpool and Birkenhead - and had developed an expressive set of models, sketches, and detailed drawings that showed her potential.
“Safea was also a team player, and had served as the AHUWA (Architecture, Heritage, Urbanism in West Africa) Studio Student Representative. She was always willing to get involved with School activities and was incredibly generous with her time and through supporting others. We are thrilled that Safea is the first recipient of this prestigious award; she is a deserving scholar and will surely make the most of her studies at Liverpool.”
Please visit the website for further details of the Labid Al-Fakhri Scholarship.