We are delighted to announce that Haleemah Alaydi has been chosen as the recipient of the Space to Write Bursary, generously supported by Arvon. The bursary is designed to develop the craft and confidence of an unpublished female writer of colour in the UK.
Haleemah’s outstanding short story collection, ‘How to Become a Refugee and Other Stories,’ explores themes of displacement, identity, loss of home and relationship dynamics through a diverse range of genres including literary fiction, horror, and magic realism. The collection investigates the complexities of human displacement, bringing unique and compelling perspectives to the forefront.
Haleemah Alaydi says: “I’m very excited to win the SI Leeds Literary Prize/Arvon Space to Write Bursary. The bursary will provide me with a fantastic gateway to push my creative project to publication, allowing me to hone my craft and have the space to write stories about characters silenced in mainstream culture“.
With Arvon’s support, the bursary will grant Haleemah the time and space to refine her project ahead of the 2024 biennial SI Leeds Literary Prize for unpublished fiction by UK based Black and Asian women. Haleemah will be given a place in an Arvon at Home Writing Week of her choice, featuring transformative writing workshops, one-to-ones, and social gatherings conducted by two Arvon tutors via Zoom.
We look forward to reading more of her work!
