At only 22 years old, Truphena Muthoni has captured national attention by taking on a bold, heartfelt mission: hugging a tree for 72 hours.
Her goal was not only to break a world record, but to speak for forests, mental health, and the need to protect nature before it is too late.
Truphena first came into the spotlight earlier in the year when she hugged a tree for 48 hours straight, earning recognition as a young environmental champion.
That experience shaped her into a resilient activist, pushing her to aim even higher with her new challenge: three full days of holding onto a tree without letting go.
What many people don’t know is that this attempt was meant to take place in Brazil, deep within the Amazon rainforest.
Truphena had been invited to a global conference through her scouting connection, where she hoped to set her record in the world’s largest tropical forest. However, her trip was halted after she was denied permission by the Ministry of Environment.
Faced with disappointment, she chose not to give up. Instead, she returned home to Nyeri, set her arms around another tree, and continued her mission on Kenyan soil.
Through cold nights, heavy fatigue, and swelling muscles, she remained still, fueled by passion, purpose, and the belief that a single person can spark change.
Her story has moved Kenyans across the country, not because she wanted fame, but because she used silence, endurance, and nature itself to speak loudly about conservation.
Truphena’s tree-hugging marathon became more than a record attempt; it became a symbol of hope, persistence, and the power of youthful activism.
