The Struggle Of Gaza Girl

Beautiful Name

On the spacious courtyard of the university, Nissa spotted her close friend, Rabbah, a fellow student from Alexandria, Egypt. They studied at the same university and had become inseparable over the years.

"Hi, Rabbah," Nissa greeted with a smile. "I wanted to ask you something. Do you know of any free middle schools around here? Something equivalent to an Islamic junior high school?"

Rabbah looked at her curiously.

"Who are you planning to enroll?"

"An orphaned girl," Nissa replied softly. "I'm also looking for an orphanage where she can stay."

Rabbah's expression immediately turned serious.

"Don't, Nissa. Please don't leave her in an orphanage."

"Why not?"

"The security for girls in many orphanages isn't good enough. There have been far too many cases of s****l abuse, and some of them were never properly resolved."

Nissa's face paled.

"Really? Then... what should I do?"

"You should become her guardian. Arrange a **kafala** for her."

Nissa frowned slightly.

"Kafala?"

"It is the Islamic system of caring for an orphan according to the teachings of the Prophet," Rabbah explained. "The child is raised and protected like a member of the family, but without changing their lineage or granting inheritance rights. It's different from legal adoption in some countries."

Even if the guardian had no biological children, a child raised under kafala from infancy would still retain their original family lineage and would not automatically inherit from the guardian. That was the practice encouraged in Islamic law.

Nissa fell silent for a moment before asking another question.

"What about her education? I heard free schools only accept children who are officially registered as orphans."

Rabbah sighed.

"The choice is yours, Nissa. I'm only warning you. No one can guarantee she'll be safe in an orphanage."

"So... you're saying I'd have to pay for her education myself?"

"Yes," Rabbah answered gently. "It's the safest choice... but also the hardest one."

---

The conversation weighed heavily on Nissa's mind as she returned to her apartment.

The moment she stepped inside, Yumn greeted her with a bright, innocent smile. Somehow, that simple smile eased the burden in her heart.

"Ukhti," Yumn asked hopefully, "what about the orphanage you mentioned the other day?"

Nissa smiled faintly.

"I don't think I'll be sending you to an orphanage after all."

Yumn blinked.

"Why, Ukhti? Is it because I'm from Gaza?"

"No, not at all," Nissa said, shaking her head. "I've heard that many orphanages here aren't safe for young women. There have been cases of abuse that remain unresolved. I can't stop worrying about what might happen to you."

Yumn lowered her head.

Her thoughts drifted back to the day she had almost been assaulted by Zionist soldiers.

A shiver ran through her body.

"What about school, Ukhti?"

"Tomorrow we'll go to the city office. I'll register myself as your guardian. I'll take care of you, Yumn. If we have enough time afterward, we'll start looking for a school."

Yumn's eyes glistened.

"Thank you, Ukhti."

---

The following morning, Nissa and Yumn took a taxi into the city.

As they drove through the bustling streets, Yumn pressed her face against the window, mesmerized by everything she saw.

"Do you know what city this is?" Nissa asked.

Yumn smiled innocently.

"A beautiful city."

Nissa laughed.

"This is Alexandria—or Al-Iskandariyah, as it's known in Islamic history. Have you ever heard of it?"

"I think I have... but I can't remember."

"The city was named after Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king who founded it around 330 BC."

"Oh..." Yumn nodded. "So the city was named after its founder."

"Exactly. It later became one of the capitals of Alexander's empire."

---

They arrived at the city office, where Nissa completed the paperwork to register Yumn under the **kafala** guardianship system.

From that day forward, Yumn was officially recognized as an orphan under Nissa's care.

After finishing the documents, they spent the afternoon searching for a suitable school.

Alexandria had many prestigious international schools, but the tuition fees were far beyond what Nissa could afford.

Eventually, she found a junior secondary school called **Hasan Aziz College**, where she enrolled Yumn.

Inside the administration office, the registration process went smoothly.

As they walked through the campus, Yumn quietly asked,

"Is there a dormitory here where I can stay, Ukhti?"

Nissa smiled.

"No, Yumn. You'll be living with me."

"Thank you, Ukhti. I don't mind walking, even if it's far. I'm used to it."

Nissa's heart tightened.

"You won't be walking."

Yumn looked confused.

"If you walked here every day, it would take nearly two hours. You'll use public transportation instead."

"But... won't that cost money?"

"Of course," Nissa replied with a smile. "I'll give you a monthly allowance for transportation. There are tuk-tuks and minibuses here. They're quite affordable."

Once everything was finalized, Nissa paid the enrollment fees, and they left the school together.

---

"Come on," Nissa said, stretching. "Let's find something to eat. I'm starving."

"Okay, Ukhti."

Yumn would no longer live in an orphanage.

She now had a home with Nissa.

And in Egypt, Nissa had officially become her guardian.

Still, a question lingered in Yumn's heart.

*Ukhti will graduate in two years...*

*What will happen to me after that?*

She quickly pushed the thought aside.

For now, she was simply grateful.

Grateful to be alive.

Grateful to have a chance to study again.

Grateful that Allah had sent someone like Nissa into her life.

She prayed that the future would somehow work itself out.

---

The two entered a fast-food restaurant.

While Yumn waited at one of the tables, Nissa ordered their meal.

A few moments later, she returned carrying two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Here," Nissa said, placing one in front of Yumn. "Try it. It's really refreshing. Have you ever eaten oranges before?"

"Yes," Yumn replied. "Volunteers once gave me oranges and apples."

Nissa smiled.

"If you ever visit my country, you'll discover many fruits you've never seen before. Most of them aren't exported overseas."

Yumn's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Really? Like what?"

"There are rambutans, durians, snake fruit, duku... and many more. They all taste amazing."

"Then why aren't they exported?"

"Because they spoil very quickly," Nissa explained. "After they're picked, they usually last only three or four days."

"I see. That makes sense." Yumn nodded thoughtfully. "Which one is your favorite?"

"Jackfruit."

"Jackfruit?" Yumn tilted her head. "What's it like?"

Nissa chuckled.

"It's hard to explain. Just search for it online when we get back."

Yumn smiled brightly.

"If I ever visit your country, I want to keep dragonflies as pets, Ukhti. They're so beautiful. I've watched videos of them over and over on my phone."

Nissa burst into laughter.

"Oh, Yumn... you really do have the funniest ideas."

Yumn blinked.

"Why? Are they dangerous like snakes?"

"No," Nissa replied, still laughing. "Not at all. It's just that... if you kept dragonflies as pets in my country, you'd probably be the only person doing it."

"But they're so beautiful."

"They are," Nissa admitted with a grin. "It's just... difficult to explain."

Just then, bowls of hearty lamb trotter soup were served.

They began eating in comfortable silence.

After finishing her meal, Nissa picked up her phone and called home.

"Assalamu'alaikum, Mom."

"Wa'alaikumussalam, sweetheart. How are you? Are you doing well?"

"I'm doing great, Mom. Is Dad around?"

"He's already asleep. How's university?"

"Everything's going well. Actually... there's something I wanted to tell Dad."

"Go ahead and tell me. I'll let him know."

Nissa hesitated before speaking.

"Um... Mom... I've taken in an orphan from Gaza."

There was a brief silence.

"Her father was martyred. Her mother and little sister were killed. Their home was destroyed in an airstrike. She has no one left."

Nissa swallowed hard.

"I brought her to Egypt. I've become her guardian through **kafala**. I've enrolled her in school, and she's living with me now. I'm covering all of her expenses. Please tell Dad... I wanted him to know."

On the other end of the line came a soft gasp.

"Masya Allah..."

"I'll tell your father everything."

Nissa smiled sheepishly.

"You know... I was kind of hoping for a bigger allowance."

Her mother laughed.

"I figured as much."

"Don't worry. I'll explain everything to your father. And if he doesn't send extra money, I'll send it myself."

She paused before adding warmly,

"The important thing is that you both stay safe and take good care of yourselves."

"Oh, by the way... what's the girl's name?"

Nissa smiled as she looked across the table at Yumn.

"Her name is Yumn... Yumn She Queena Azzahra."

"What a beautiful name,"