An anonymous donor has spent $700,000 to help volunteers in Winnipeg settle more than 100 refugees. 

Volunteer Gelila Hailu works for the Archdiocese of St. Boniface.

She says the Winnipeg donor is a private person with strong convictions and a favourite saying: "What we do for ourselves dies with us - what we do for others and the world remains and is immortal."

Hailu says the donor didn't know anything about the refugees other than they needed help, and that she could provide the financial part of that help.

The refugees come from a number of countries including Eritrea and Somalia.

The donor and many of the newcomers will be at a celebration Sunday night put on by an Eritrean human rights group.