The Santa Marta Center:
What We do
Comprehensive support and emergency shelter for LGBTIQ+ young adults in El Salvador facing homelessness and violence
Who we are
The Santa Marta Care Center (CASM) is a nonprofit organization and hub for protection and resilience of LGBTIQ+ youth, and human rights defenders in El Salvador and the region. Founded in 2020 as an ecclesial initiative, the Center has evolved into an independent structure adapted to contexts of high political and fiscal risk. To ensure the security and transparency of resources, we operate under the fiscal sponsorship of Rainbow World Fund in the United States (501(c)(3) status), which enables tax-exempt financial management and protection from local pressure.
Our mission is to break cycles of violence and sustain the continuity of Salvadoran civil society through a model of political risk management.
The Problem
LGBTIQ+ youth and human rights defenders in El Salvador are facing violence, displacement, political persecution, and the closure of civic space.
Many LGBTIQ+ young adults are expelled from their homes, lose family support, and face homelessness, economic precarity, and exposure to further violence. At the same time, human rights defenders are operating under increasing surveillance, legal pressure, and institutional hostility.
The approval of the Foreign Agents Law in 2025, including a 30% levy on international donations, has created new risks for independent organizations. These measures threaten the sustainability of civil society groups and make it harder to receive international support safely.
For people already facing violence, this creates a double crisis: the need for immediate protection and the need for long-term structures that can survive political pressure. In some cases, forced displacement extends beyond El Salvador, requiring cross-border protection pathways in Mexico and other countries.
Our Solution
Santa Marta Care Center protects LGBTIQ+ youth and human rights defenders through a model that combines shelter, psychosocial care, advocacy, cybersecurity, and financial sustainability.
From our safe shelter in San Salvador, we provide housing, food, emotional stabilization, psychosocial support, and life-planning tools for people in crisis. We help clients move from immediate danger toward safety, autonomy, and dignified work.
CASM is also building regional protection capacity. A planned representative office in Mexico will support cross-border advocacy, resource mobilization, and protection pathways for Salvadoran defenders and LGBTIQ+ communities facing displacement.
To sustain this work, we operate with U.S.-based fiscal sponsorship through Rainbow World Fund and develop earned income through Anima Consulting and Training, our sister initiative for corporate training, zero-discrimination certification, and job-placement partnerships.