Two years ago, the nonuplets named Fatouma, Kadidia, Hawa, Adama, Oumou, Bah, Mohammed, Oumar and Elhadji made headlines by breaking the Guinness record for the most living births at once. Recently, the siblings celebrated their second birthday for the first time at their home in Mali. Relatives, friends and even their paediatrician were present to commemorate the occasion.
The children chose the theme “Miraculous” for their birthday celebration, which was also their favourite. The party was held inside the family’s house, with a poster featuring a picture from the cartoon “Miraculous” and the name of the nonuplets welcoming guests. Decorative little boxes with pictures of the different characters were also present.
Hailma Cisse, the mother of the nonuplets, expressed her gratitude to God for allowing her to celebrate her children’s birthday at home in Mali. Cisse was initially expecting seven babies but gave birth to nine instead – five girls and four boys – on May 5th, 2021, in Casablanca, Morocco. Due to the complexity and special care required for her exceptional multiple pregnancy, the doctors in Mali, under government orders, transferred her to a clinic in Casablanca.
Although it was challenging to keep all nine siblings together for a family picture, the parents were thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate their second birthday. Abdel Kader Arby, the father of the nonuplets, who already had a 4-year-old daughter with his wife, joked about the unexpected changes in their family size, saying that they usually only had to organize a birthday party for one child.
The family of the nonuplets receives assistance from their relatives, the Malian government, and an NGO to provide food, education, and general care for the children.
