Twenty-two year old Environmental activist and scout, Truphena Muthoni, has broken a record after becoming the first person to hug a tree for 72 hours nonstop. Muthoni who completed the feat at 12:25 noon on 12/11/2025 braved cold nights, rains and fatigue to advocate for environmental conservation.
Muthoni’s 72-hour tree hugging feat was flagged off by Nyeri governor Mutahi Kagwe 12/8//2025 outside the offices of the Governor under the watch of the county officials and her supporters. She received immense support from Advocate PLO Lumumba and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who sent his congratulatory messages via social media.
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Truphena had earlier secured a place in the Guinness World Records after hugging a tree for 48 hours on 1st February, 2025 at Nairobi Michuki’s Park. This time ,Muthoni wore a blindfold after surpassing the 48-hour mark to advocate for people living with disabilities.She sought to extend her previous goal of 48 hours achieved earlier in February 2025, to 72 hours.
“The importance of this peaceful protest is that it bypasses all differences, because during the other protests we hear stories of goons, but this one bypasses all stories and triggers humanity,” Truphena shared, adding that the tree-hugging feat is a call for environmental conservation.
Her feat highlights the deep connection between mental health, nature and emotional well-being. Muthoni said her feat is a protest against deforestation, calling for indigenous forest protection and mental health healing by connecting with nature. She shared that,
“The reason for hugging trees is that it’s therapeutic, and we have a lot of mental health crises across the world that are directly involved with environmental degradation,” .
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Several Kenyans have congratulated Truphena and promised her numerous gifts for her resilience and environmental activism. Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba promised Truphena an year’s supply of sanitary towels if she completed 72-hour tree hugging successfully.
She will also receive an offer to become the new brand ambassador for a sanitary towels company dubbed the ECOBANA limited after her recent win.Muthoni will receive cash gifts, electronic gadgets and holidays from tour companies among other gifts.
