When Malian couple Halima Cissé and Abdelkader Arby found out they were expecting not one, not two, but seven babies, the news stunned them — and the world. But what happened next made history: Halima gave birth to nine babies, and all of them survived. The nonuplets achieved a Guinness World Record for the most children delivered at a single birth to survive.
The family spent the first 19 months of the babies' lives in Morocco, where they received highly specialized neonatal care before returning home to Mali. Now, four years later, Les Nonuplés are not just surviving — they’re thriving. As they celebrate their fourth birthday, the world is once again watching in awe.
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Meet Les Nonuplés, nine babies that made history as the first known case of surviving nonuplets
Image credits: les_nonuples
Image credits: les_nonuples
Back in 2021, Halima was rushed to a hospital in Morocco for a high-risk delivery
Image credits: les_nonuples
The couple had been told they were expecting septuplets… until doctors discovered two more babies in the maternity ward
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Born at just 30 weeks, each baby weighed less than 500 grams — a little over a pound
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Their survival odds were incredibly slim, but they fought through months in intensive neonatal care
Image credits: les_nonuples
Image credits: les_nonuples
Image credits: les_nonuples
Their names? Kadidia, Fatouma, Hawa, Adama, Oumou, Mohammed VI, Oumar, Elhadji, and Bah — five girls and four boys, each one growing into their own personality
Image credits: les_nonuples
Image credits: les_nonuples
Image credits: les_nonuples
Fast-forward to May 2025, and the little ones have already turned four years old! They're energetic, playful, and already showing signs of who they’re becoming
Image credits: les_nonuples
Image credits: les_nonuples
Their fourth birthday celebration was nothing short of magical, filled with balloons, cakes, and nine beaming smiles that remind us what a miracle really looks like
Image credits: les_nonuples
The journey of Les Nonuplés has been supported by both governments, medical teams, and a global community watching their story unfold
Image credits: les_nonuples
Image credits: les_nonuples
Today, Les Nonuplés are healthy and happy, growing up surrounded by love and support
Image credits: les_nonuples
People have been reacting and commenting across social media
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