Truphena Muthoni reveals why she talked to people during her 72-hour tree-hugging feat
By Valerian Khakayi, December 15, 2025Environmental activist Truphena Muthoni has opened up about why she invited people to talk to her during her 72-hour tree-hugging feat.
Speaking during an interview with a local station on Sunday, December 14, 2025, Muthoni said that the interaction helped her stay focused and mentally strong throughout the challe
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According to Truphena, the long hours of hugging the tree did not strain her arms as many people expected. She said she had prepared her body and mind through consistent practice before attempting the feat.
“My arms didn’t get tired while I was hugging. I was feeling some cold when it started raining, but I was able to manage it because I had already practised for that as well,” Truphena explained.
She revealed that during her training period, she had already experienced harsh weather conditions, including being rained on, which helped her understand how to cope during the actual challenge.
“There was a time I was rained on during practice. On the first day, it dried up on its own. On the second day, it was really heavy, so I had some heaters around me. You can’t do that with people around you,” she added.
The activist further noted that many people thought they should not talk to her because it might make her tired, but she explained that she always invited people to talk to her since it helped keep her mind active. She added that without conversation, her mind would shut down.
“People thought that they should not be talking to me, maybe I will feel tired, but I invite people to talk to me all the time because that makes my mind be active, or I’ll shut down,” she stated.
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72-hour feat
The 22-year-old completed the challenge on Thursday, December 11, 2025, amid loud cheers, ululation, and overwhelming support from the public.
She began her 72-hour marathon on December 8, 2025, in Nyeri County, drawing nationwide attention.
Her goal was to break her own Guinness World Record, which she set earlier this year after hugging a tree for 48 hours at Nairobi’s Michuki Memorial Park.
Her earlier feat earned her national recognition and praise from environmental groups. She said then that nature had helped her heal emotionally, and she hoped her actions would help others talk more openly about mental health.
This new challenge is meant to raise awareness about deforestation, climate change, and mental-health struggles among young people. Truphena has also included a three-hour blindfolded segment to highlight the experiences of visually impaired people and to link conservation to social justice.
Local leaders, environmental activists, and residents of Nyeri have been stopping by to encourage her as she continues the marathon.