President William Ruto has appointed environmental activist Truphena Muthoni as an ambassador for the government’s flagship 15 billion tree-planting campaign, following her extraordinary tree-hugging endurance challenge in Nyeri.
Truphena set a new personal milestone on Thursday, December 11, hugging a tree continuously for 72 hours without eating, sitting, or using the bathroom to raise awareness about environmental conservation.
While the feat is yet to be ratified by Guinness World Records — meaning her officially recognized record remains the 48-hour attempt achieved in May — it earned her significant national acclaim.
Fresh from the challenge, Truphena was hosted at State House on Monday, December 15, where President Ruto, accompanied by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, formally recognized her efforts.
In her new role, Truphena will champion the government’s tree-planting initiative, aimed at restoring forest cover and safeguarding Kenya’s environmental future.
President Ruto also revealed that the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Tourism Board had jointly awarded Truphena and her team a fully sponsored holiday, highlighting the link between conservation and sustainable tourism.
A day earlier, Truphena disclosed during a television interview that she had initially planned to undertake the tree-hugging challenge in Brazil, but could not proceed due to lack of support from key stakeholders, including the relevant ministry.
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