Kaya Gimm, identified as female, co-managed an orphanage alongside her sibling Killi Gimm during Jedha's occupation. Before this, she operated a droid repair business. The Guardians of the Whills, specifically Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus, provided them with stolen supplies from the Imperial forces in the months leading up to the Battle of Scarif.
Prior to running the orphanage, Kaya Gimm, a skilled mechanic, owned and operated a droid repair shop located in her Jedha City residence. Her elder sister, Killi Gimm, was affiliated with the Disciples of the Whills. During the Galactic Empire's reign, Imperial forces occupied Jedha to mine kyber crystals for the Death Star's superlaser. The result of this occupation was a high death toll among the citizenry, both in the mines and from insurgent attacks aimed at removing the Empire. These deaths produced a significant number of orphans within Jedha City. Killi convinced Gimm to transform her home and droid repair shop into an orphanage to care for these children.
Gimm forged a friendship with Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus, who, like her sister, were Guardians of the Whills. Îmwe and Malbus aided the Gimm sisters in sustaining the orphanage by procuring stolen Imperial provisions. In response, the Empire destroyed Gimm's home, compelling the sisters and the orphans to seek refuge elsewhere. Malbus located an abandoned dwelling for the sisters and their charges to relocate to. A few months subsequently, it became evident that Jedha was no longer a safe haven for the orphans and the Gimm sisters. With assistance from Saw Gerrera and his Partisans, Îmwe and Malbus managed to commandeer a Sentinel-class landing craft to evacuate Kaya and the orphans. However, due to failing health, Killi chose to remain on Jedha. Kaya, together with the orphans, departed, hoping to discover a more secure world.
Kaya Gimm makes an appearance in the 2017 young adult novel Guardians of the Whills by Greg Rucka, a canon work. Her description in the book (blue coveralls, two long braids and dark make-up around the eyes) is consistent with another background character featured in Rogue One, Gavra Ubrento, who is referenced in the young adult novel, but does not appear directly in the narrative.