Iqaluit businesswoman Claire Kennedy is trying to raise $10,000 for the most vulnerable victims of the AIDS epidemic that is ravaging sub-Saharan Africa.

Kennedy is off to Malawi in September, where she will visit orphanages built with the help of Ontario philanthropists Louise Roy and Paul Tremblay.

"I just wanted to go and experience something different," Kennedy said.

After three weeks of fundraising, Kennedy has collected about $2,000. She's held a bake sale, while school children and Iqaluit churches have already donated hundreds of dollars, with more on the way. Kids at Joamie School are throwing a dance June 8 and a cakewalk June 15 to raise money.

Kennedy said donors can sponsor Malawian children for $60, or simply give what they're able to. She's impressed with pace of donations so far, and is optimistic she'll hit $10,000 before she leaves in September.

"It is a lofty goal," she said. "I'm hoping to get close to that."

Malawi is one of the countries hardest hit by the AIDS crisis. Of a population of under 14 million, the country has almost a million orphans, 70 per cent of whom are orphaned by AIDS.

According to the CIA world fact book, Malawi has an AIDS infection rate of 14 per cent. There are 900,000 Malawians living with AIDS, and 84,000 of them die every year. That has left a nation of not only orphans, but children who are forced to leave school and work to support the family.

Iqaluit's social problems pale in comparison, Kennedy said.

"Yes, here it's not good, but there it's worse."

Kennedy's 72-year-old mom Yvonne Poulin and Roy have travelled to Malawi repeatedly since 2001 building fresh water wells. Tremblay and Roy have also raised money over the years for two orphanages in the country.

Most social services in Malawi are provided by aid groups and private donors because the government lacks the money to run programs. Corruption is also endemic.

The mainly agricultural economy has also taken a beating in recent years from drought and the impact of AIDS, which has gutted the working age population. If that weren't enough, Malawi's main export is tobacco, which has seen a worldwide drop in demand as fewer people smoke.

Despite the daunting reality, Kennedy said she's eagerly anticipating the experience. She's less enthused about the two days of flying between Iqaluit and Lilongwe, Malawi's capital.

"That's the only thing I'm not looking forward to," she said.