When 22-year-old environmental activist Truphena Muthoni wrapped her arms around a tree for 72 hours earlier this week, she did not expect the overwhelming wave of love and support that followed.
What began as a quiet act of environmental advocacy quickly turned into a national moment, with Kenyans rallying behind her and even influencing the speed at which her previous Guinness World Record was ratified.
“I did not expect people to respond immediately with so much love and so fast. I’m so happy for Kenyans, and they have supported me. They even made Guinness World Records ratify my previous record so fast, because the standard process is so slow.”
“But immediately they started flocking to their page and putting pressure, and my previous record was ratified. I’m happy for Kenyans; they are good people,” she told K24 Digital.
In early 2025, Muthoni set a record by hugging a tree continuously for 48 hours, an attempt that has now been officially ratified by Guinness World Records. Her latest 72-hour attempt is currently undergoing verification, a process she says is thorough but necessary.
“After completing the attempt, there are certain processes you are supposed to take on your accounts,” she explained.
“They need a continuous video so that they look at their rules against the video and a few witness statements and timekeepers’ statements. This is not like they are doubting, but it’s just the process to have documentation properly, because Guinness World Records is forever.”
For Muthoni, the act of hugging a tree goes far beyond breaking records. It is deeply rooted in her belief that humanity’s disconnection from nature lies at the heart of many global crises.
We cannot exist without nature, and we are part of the ecosystem. That is why in the Bible, if you are spiritual, God created man and put him in the Garden of Eden. That is how we are programmed to live,” she added.
She believes modern society’s relentless pursuit of wealth has come at the cost of environmental destruction and mental well-being.
“I don’t think money is the problem because everyone is looking for money, and in the process, they are destroying nature, but in the real sense, we have the richest people having mental breakdowns and committing suicide because the real healing is found in nature,” she explained.
With her previous record already confirmed, Muthoni says her new attempt will also be ratified.
Nature champion dream
“This one will be ratified, of course. The previous one has already been ratified, so I’m officially amazing,” she said with a smile. “This means that I have a bigger platform.”
She now hopes to use that platform to reshape environmental advocacy, particularly by making it more inclusive.
“What has been happening in this environment advocacy space is that we have a lot that we do, and the problem is how the message has been put, who controls the message, and how people are engaged. Most of the time, we are not fairly engaging children, people living with disabilities, and young people,” Muthoni said.
She believes visibility is key, noting that many genuine environmental advocates lack access to strong platforms.
“I’m happy that one person has gotten a platform, and this means that anything that one wants to achieve, he can,” she said.
“I will be helping people to achieve what they want to achieve, and I’ll use my platform to create the right pathway for advocacy in Kenya and in the world for Kenyans, for young people, and so many good things will happen.”
