President William Ruto has conferred the prestigious Head of State Commendation (HSC) medal upon 22-year-old environmental activist Truphena Muthoni in recognition of her outstanding contribution to environmental conservation.
In a statement after hosting Muthoni at State House, the President praised her as a symbol of courage, resilience and youth leadership, following her record-breaking feat of hugging an indigenous tree continuously for 72 hours.
"As a mark of national honour for her exemplary service to environmental stewardship, I have conferred upon Truphena Muthoni the Head of State Commendation (HSC) Medal," Ruto wrote on X.
In addition, Ruto appointed Muthoni as an Ambassador of the 15 Billion Tree Planting Campaign, a flagship government initiative aimed at restoring forest cover and securing Kenya’s environmental future.
“In recognition of her courage, fortitude, and laudable leadership, I have appointed her as an Ambassador of the 15 Billion Tree Planting Campaign, a signature national initiative dedicated to securing Kenya’s environmental future,” he continued.
Ruto also announced a series of rewards to further support and appreciate her efforts.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) have offered Muthoni and her team a fully sponsored holiday experience, while the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry has committed to facilitating her long-held dream of visiting Brazil to gain exposure to global conservation initiatives.
An elated Muthoni was in the company of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki at the Statehouse.
The goodies come hot on the heels of other gifts that Muthoni got after a record-breaking tree-hugging feat.
During her attempt, Truphena Muthoni was showered with a variety of virtual gifts from viewers on her TikTok livestream, including Lions, Money Guns, Galaxy gifts, Fireworks, roses, hand hearts, finger hearts, perfumes, and confetti.
These gifts, which can be converted into real earnings, helped her livestream revenue surpass half a million shillings.
In addition to viewer contributions, several companies and public figures offered rewards for her achievement.
A betting company pledged one million shillings, a travel company provided a fully paid three-night holiday in Mombasa, and sponsors committed a Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 smartphone along with Sh100,000 toward Guinness World Records processing fees.
Truphena also received promises of skincare treatments and months of custom-made outfits from local brands.