"Schizophrenia Awareness Association holds large scale public meetings, five times in a year with the help and support of SAA’s well-wishers and donors to promote awareness.
24thMay: World Schizophrenia Awareness Day
SAA organizes every year, a public meeting on 24th May, the World Schizophrenia Awareness Day, to create public awareness about schizophrenia and other types of mental illnesses. The main feature of the public meeting is Late Aditya Pendse Memorial Oration delivered by a distinguished personality who has contributed significantly in the field of mental health. Late Aditya Pendse in whose memory the lecture is delivered every year on 24th May suffered from schizophrenia till the unfortunate end of his life. His sister Vandana also suffered from schizophrenia and died an unnatural death along with her baby daughter. This is the only oration in the country in memory of a person who lived with schizophrenia.
6th August : Erwadi Day
Every year on 6th August, SAA arranges a public meeting to observe Erwadi Day as a Human Rights Day for Persons with Mental Illness. On this day, in the year 2001, a fire tragedy occurred in which 28 persons with mental illness, who had come for divine healing in a shrine, died and could not escape the fire. They were kept in chains at Moideen Badusha Mental Home in Erwadi Village in Tamilnadu.
10th September: Caregivers’ Meet
Late Dr. Jagannath Wani, Founder President of Schizophrenia Awareness Association (SAA) was a caregiver of his wife, who was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Despite the challenges he faced, he organised and assisted caregivers of schizophrenia patients. 10th September being the birth anniversary of Dr. Jagannath Wani, SAA observes it as a Caregivers’ Day. In addition to various programs for caregivers, on this day SAA also felicitates and provides token help to the needy caregivers.
10th October: World Mental Health Day
Every year around 10th October, as elsewhere in world, SAA observes World Mental Health week. The programme includes: rally in Suburban of Dhayari to create awareness, various competitions like story competition, essay competition etc related to mental health, awareness programs in various societies or colleges, entertainment programme of shubhrathis for service users and public.
18th December: Anniversary Day as Aapla Divas
SAA’s Anniversary is observed every year on 18th Decemberas ‘Aapla Divas’ (Our Day). On this day various activities are organized and meals provided to pamper service users and their families. Effort is to make it memorable day for them.