About Us

Who We Are

Every Life Counts Initiative is a nurse led community health organization dedicated to promoting preventive health education, early recognition of danger signs, and timely access to healthcare for children, families, and communities. We believe that every life has value and deserves the opportunity to thrive.

Our Story

Every Life Counts Initiative was founded in loving memory of Ifeanyichukwu Charles Ayika, a bright young boy whose life was cut short by a preventable tragedy. His loss left a lasting impact on our family and inspired a commitment to ensuring that no life is treated as insignificant.As a registered nurse and midwife with years of experience caring for patients and families, our founder witnessed firsthand how lack of health education, delayed recognition of danger signs, and barriers to timely healthcare can lead to preventable suffering and loss.This realization gave birth to Every Life Counts Initiative,a nurse led movement dedicated to empowering children, families, and communities with life saving health knowledge, promoting early intervention, and strengthening connections between schools, healthcare facilities, and the communities they serve.Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, we are working to build a future where every person understands that their life matters and where preventable health challenges are addressed before they become life threatening.

Our Mission

To promote preventive health education, empower communities with life saving knowledge, encourage early recognition of health dangers, and improve access to timely healthcare services through sustainable community based interventions.

Our Vision

A society where every child, family, and community has the knowledge, support, and opportunity to live a healthy, safe, and productive life because every life truly counts.

What We Do

Every Life Counts Initiative implements practical, community-based health education and support programs designed to improve knowledge, prevent avoidable illnesses, and strengthen early response to health emergencies.1. School Health EducationWe conduct interactive health sessions in primary and secondary schools, teaching children about hygiene, personal safety, nutrition, common illnesses, and when to seek help from trusted adults or healthcare providers.

2. Maternal and Child Health EducationWe educate mothers, caregivers, and families on antenatal care, danger signs in pregnancy, newborn care, immunization, breastfeeding, and child health practices that promote survival and wellbeing.

3. Community Health OutreachWe engage communities through awareness campaigns, group discussions, and sensitization programs focused on preventive health, infection control, and healthy living practices.

4. Early Recognition of Danger SignsWe train individuals to recognize early warning signs of common health conditions in children and adults, encouraging timely decision making and reducing delays in seeking care.

5. Emergency Preparedness EducationWe provide basic knowledge on first aid and appropriate response during common emergencies, helping families and schools act quickly while awaiting professional care.

6. Emergency Care Access Support Program we recognize that many preventable deaths occur not only due to lack of knowledge, but also due to financial barriers. Through a structured support mechanism, we aim to assist vulnerable children and families in accessing urgent, life saving care when poverty becomes a barrier to survival. This includes linking cases to available support systems, partners, and donors to reduce delays in critical treatment.Through these programs, we aim to reduce preventable illness and death by ensuring that accurate, life saving health information and support reach the people who need it most.

Our Impact

Since inception, Every Life Counts Initiative has reached children, families, and communities through structured health education and outreach activities focused on prevention, awareness, and early intervention.Through our school based programs, we have directly engaged over 700 children, with an estimated 1,000–1,400 indirect beneficiaries, including parents, caregivers, and teachers who receive shared health information through the children and community interactions.We have conducted interactive health education sessions across multiple primary schools, reaching pupils in both lower and upper primary levels with age appropriate lessons on hygiene, safety, nutrition, disease prevention, and emergency response.Our outreach sessions have also fostered strong engagement from school authorities and parents, encouraging community participation and reinforcing key health messages beyond the classroom.Beyond numbers, our impact is seen in behavior change,children demonstrating improved understanding of personal hygiene, willingness to report health concerns early, and increased awareness of when to seek help from trusted adults.We continue to expand our reach with the goal of strengthening school to community health education systems and ensuring that no child or family is left without access to life-saving health knowledge.

Our Core Values

At Every Life Counts Initiative, our work is guided by principles that reflect our commitment to dignity, compassion, and sustainable community impact.

1. Compassion

We are committed to serving individuals and communities with empathy, kindness, and understanding, especially those in vulnerable situations.

2. Integrity

We uphold honesty, accountability, and transparency in all our programs, partnerships, and interactions.

3. Prevention First

We prioritize preventive health education as a sustainable approach to reducing avoidable illness and death.

4. Community Empowerment

We believe in equipping individuals with knowledge and skills that enable them to make informed health decisions and take ownership of their wellbeing.

5. Equity in Health

We are committed to ensuring that every child, family, and community regardless of background or financial status has access to life saving health information and support.

Meet The Founder

MaryJane Obianuju Ayika is a Registered Nurse and Midwife (RN, RM, BNSc) with over a decade of clinical experience in maternal, child, and community health care. She currently practices in a tertiary healthcare setting in Nigeria, where she is actively involved in patient care, health education, and emergency response.Her professional journey has exposed her to the realities of preventable illness and loss, particularly among children and families who lack timely access to health information and care. These experiences, combined with her passion for community health, inspired the creation of Every Life Counts Initiative.Driven by a strong belief that prevention saves lives, she founded the initiative to bridge the gap between hospitals, schools, and communities through practical health education and early intervention programs.MaryJane is also committed to advancing community based health awareness, empowering families with life saving knowledge, and advocating for systems that ensure no life is lost due to preventable causes.Through her work, she continues to champion the message that every life matters, and every life deserves a chance to thrive.