The Wasu Post Reporter
Kenya – A Kenyan environmental activist has set a new Guinness World Record after hugging a tree continuously for three days, using the feat to amplify her message on environmental protection and climate action.
Truphena Muthoni achieved a record-breaking 72 hours to claim the title for the longest marathon hugging a tree, surpassing previous marks set in Uganda and Ghana over the past two years.
The record was first established in 2024 by Uganda’s Faith Patricia Ariokot at 16 hours and six seconds, before being extended later that year by Ghana’s Abdul Hakim Awal to 24 hours, 21 minutes and four seconds.
Truphena first claimed the title in February 2025 with 48 hours, briefly lost it to Ghana’s Frederick Boakye at 50 hours, two minutes and 28 seconds, and has now reclaimed it with a commanding new benchmark.
The 22-year-old activist, founder of the “Hug the Earth” initiative and an ambassador for the 15 Billion Trees Campaign, said her record attempts were intended to demonstrate that environmental care requires commitment rather than symbolism.
“My first attempt was a statement, a way to reintroduce humanity to the Earth through a simple, intimate act,” she said. “The second was a commitment—to show that climate action must be sustained.”
Truphena said lessons from her initial attempt were crucial to her success. She abandoned earlier preparation methods that included dry fasting and excessive physical training, which she later acknowledged posed health risks. For her second attempt, she focused on proper hydration, calm preparation and respecting her body’s limits.
The revised approach paid off. She reported minimal physical fatigue during the 72-hour challenge, with sleep deprivation proving to be the biggest obstacle.
Under Guinness World Records rules, Truphena was entitled to five minutes of rest for every hour completed, which she could take incrementally or accumulate for longer breaks.
Beyond the record itself, Truphena said her goal was to promote a gentler, values-based approach to conservation.
“Healing the planet does not require fear or conflict,” she said. “It can begin with care. Before we plant a million trees, we must nurture a million hearts that care.”
She also used the attempt to honour Indigenous knowledge systems and people living with disabilities, donning a blindfold after surpassing her previous 48-hour record to draw attention to inclusivity.
Medical support, including an ambulance on standby, was in place throughout the challenge.
Truphena described the achievement not as a personal triumph, but as an offering to the Earth—time for reflection, reconnection and collective responsibility.