Five years ago, the world watched in awe as Halima Cissé gave birth to nine healthy babies. Today, the "Mali Nine" are officially 5 years old!
The birth that defied science
Against all odds, Halima Cissé's pregnancy stunned the medical world. When she was flown from Mali to the Ain Borja clinic in Morocco, doctors initially expected seven babies based on early scans. They got nine. The delivery required a synchronised team of over 30 medical professionals and a level of surgical precision rarely seen in a delivery room.
From incubators to first steps
The first 19 months were a delicate waiting game. The "Mali Nine" lived under 24-hour neonatal care before they were strong enough to fly home. It was during this period that the world first fell in love with their coordinated nursery photos.
The logistics: 9 kids, 18 shoes, 45 candles
What does a 5th birthday look like for the Cissé family? It's a masterclass in logistics. From "assembly line" morning routines to the sheer volume of school supplies, parents Halima and Abdelkader Arby have turned parenting into a high-performance sport.
The siblings
- Girls: Kadidia, Fatouma, Hawa, Adama, Oumou
- Boys: Mamadou, Bah, Oumar, Elhadji
The 5-year update: See them today
After returning to Mali in 2022, the children have transitioned from medical miracles to local celebrities in Bamako. Their 5th-birthday portraits show nine distinct personalities emerging, though they remain famously inseparable. The survival of the Cissé nonuplets is a testament to the advancement of African and Moroccan healthcare and a mother's incredible resilience. As they blow out 45 total candles today, they remind the world that "impossible" is just a starting point. Happy 5th Birthday to the "Mali Nine!"
