- Truphena Muthoni, the Kenyan woman who recently went viral for her 72-hour tree-hugging challenge, will spend Christmas 2025 in Dubai
- The fully-sponsored trip seeks to offer an opportunity for the 22-year-old to learn how the desert city has managed to conserve and protect its indigenous trees
- This comes days after Truphena adopted a forest, making the trip a valuable addition to her environmental conservation journey
As the Christmas holidays approach, one Kenyan traveller has left the country not just for leisure, but for learning.
Source: Facebook
That traveller is Truphena Muthoni, the passionate environmentalist who recently earned recognition after hugging a tree for 72 hours nonstop.
Why is Truphena going to Dubai?
The 22-year-old shared a photo of herself at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as she prepared to board her flight.
She disclosed that her trip, sponsored by a local tours and travel company, was meant for leisure as well as educational purposes.
“What I’m looking forward to the most is learning how Dubai is able to thrive in the conservation of indigenous trees despite being a dessert,” she shared ahead of her departure.
While Dubai is widely known for its glittering skyline, luxury shopping and festive winter sun, the desert city has managed to conserve green spaces against all odds.
Lessons for Truphena from Dubai
Dubai sits in one of the world’s harshest natural environments, where scorching temperatures, limited rainfall and sandy soils would appear hostile to plant life.
Yet, across the emirate, indigenous trees such as the Ghaf, the national tree of the United Arab Emirates, continue to thrive, protected through deliberate policy, innovation and community engagement.
For the Kenyan visitor, whose own country is grappling with deforestation and climate pressure, the contrast is striking.
Truphena is curious about what systems are in place, how the government enforces conservation, and how the public is involved.
She plans to explore beyond the city’s iconic landmarks, with excursions that offer a closer look at Dubai’s desert landscape and conservation efforts.
Source: UGC
Truphena to implement lessons in Kenya
While festive lights, desert safaris and beachside celebrations remain part of the Dubai holiday experience, environmental sustainability has increasingly become part of the emirate’s global identity.
The Ghaf tree, for instance, is protected by law, with heavy penalties imposed for cutting or damaging it.
The tree plays a crucial role in preventing desertification, stabilising soil and supporting wildlife, while also holding deep cultural significance.
In recent years, the UAE has invested heavily in conservation research, water-efficient irrigation systems and large-scale tree-planting initiatives designed to work with, rather than against, the desert ecosystem.
During her stay, she hopes to observe how technology and tradition intersect, from treated wastewater used to irrigate green spaces, to urban planning that integrates native vegetation into roadsides, parks and residential developments.
Truphena recently adopted a forest
For countries like Kenya, where indigenous trees and forests face pressure from population growth and land use changes, such examples spark important questions about policy, innovation and public responsibility.
The knowledge she gathers will be vital in Kenya’s conservation efforts, especially since she recently adopted a forest.
As she boards her flight, excitement mingles with purpose and hope of finding ideas that prove even the most unlikely environments can nurture and protect life, with intention, commitment and respect for nature.
More details about Truphena Muthoni
Source: TUKO.co.ke
