Matilde Hidalgo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matilde Hidalgo
Born	September 29, 1889 Loja
Died	February 20, 1974 Guayaquil
Nationality	Ecuadorian
Spouse(s)	Fernando Procel

Matilde Hidalgo de Procel was an amazing woman from Ecuador. She was born in Loja on September 29, 1889, and passed away in Guayaquil on February 20, 1974. Matilde was a doctor, a poet, and a strong activist for women's rights.

She became the first woman to vote in Ecuador and all of Latin America. Matilde was also the first woman to earn a Doctorate in Medicine in Ecuador. She worked hard to make sure women had equal rights. Today, she is remembered as one of the most important women in Ecuador's history. Even when she was young, Matilde was very smart. She learned to read, write, and play the piano very well. In 1973, she had a stroke, which made her unable to move. She died the next year.

Matilde Hidalgo's Life Story

Matilde Hidalgo Navarro de Procel made history many times. She was the first woman to finish high school in Ecuador. She was also the first woman to vote in an election in Latin America. Later, she became the first woman to hold an elected job in her country.

Matilde was born in Loja, Ecuador. She was one of six children. Her father passed away when she was young. Her mother worked as a seamstress to support the family. Matilde went to a school run by the Sisters of Charity.

Overcoming Challenges in School

After finishing sixth grade, Matilde wanted to keep studying. She told her older brother, Antonio, about her dream. Antonio asked the director of the local high school, Colegio Bernardo Valdivieso, if Matilde could join. After thinking for a month, the director, Angel Rubén Ojeda, said yes.

However, many people in the town were not happy about this. Matilde faced a lot of rejection for going to high school. The local priest even made her stand outside the church during mass. Mothers told their daughters not to be friends with her. But Matilde's mother strongly supported her. Despite all these difficulties, Matilde became the first woman to graduate from high school in Ecuador on October 8, 1913.

Becoming a Doctor

Matilde then wanted to study at the Central University of Ecuador. But she was told she couldn't join because she was a woman. The dean of the medical school said she should focus on having a family instead.

So, in 1919, Matilde traveled to Azuay. She studied medicine at the University of Cuenca and graduated with high honors. In 1921, she returned to Quito. Because of her strong bachelor's degree, she was accepted into the doctorate program at the Central University of Ecuador. She became the first woman in Ecuador to earn a doctorate degree.

Two years later, Matilde married a lawyer named Fernando Procel. They had two sons, Fernando and Gonzalo. Fernando became a doctor, and Gonzalo became an architect. Matilde passed away in Guayaquil in 1974 at the age of 85. After her death, a museum was opened in Loja to honor her achievements.

Her Work and the Right to Vote

During the time of President José Luis Tamayo, Matilde announced something big. She said she was going to vote in the 1924 Ecuadorian presidential election. At that time, women were not allowed to vote.

The government had to decide if she could vote. After looking into the law, they ruled in her favor! On June 9, 1924, Matilde Hidalgo voted in Loja, Ecuador. This made her the first woman in Latin America to use her right to vote in a national election. Ecuador became the first country on the continent to let women vote.

First Woman in Office

Matilde continued to break barriers. She became the first elected councilwoman in Machala. She was also the first vice-president of the Machala Council. In 1941, she became the first woman candidate and the first elected woman public official in Loja. This was the same city that had once been shocked by her dreams. She held the title of "Assistant Deputy."

Matilde worked as a doctor in Guayaquil until 1949. She then received a special scholarship. This allowed her to study Pediatrics, Neurology, and Dietetics in Argentina.

Awards and Recognitions

Matilde Hidalgo received many awards for her amazing work:

• She was the first woman to get a Bachelor's Degree in Loja and in Ecuador.
• She was the first woman to be licensed in Medicine from the University of Azuay (now the University of Cuenca).
• She earned the first Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Quito.
• She was the first woman professional in the country.
• She was the first woman to vote in Latin America.
• She was the first female Vice President of a City Council.
• She was the first woman elected to Congress.
• She received the National Merit Award in 1956.
• The city of Loja honored her as an "Illustrious Woman" in 1966.
• She received another National Merit Award from the Department of Public Health in 1971.
• She was Vice President of the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana.
• She was the honorary lifetime president of the Ecuadorian Red Cross in El Oro.

Matilde's Poems

Matilde Hidalgo Navarro also wrote many poems. She started writing them when she was in high school and college. Her poems were about science, nature, and honoring people. She also wrote about love and women's roles.

Some of her known poems include:

• The woman and love.
• The goldfinch.
• Where is my happiness?
• The constant woman's plea.
• To María.
• My ideal.
• The poet.
• Song of spring.

Her Important Contributions

Matilde Hidalgo achieved many things when it was very hard for women to have power. She became the first woman to get a doctorate in medicine in Ecuador. She was also the first woman to become a professional in the country. Her life was full of breaking barriers and opening doors for other women.

Tributes to Matilde

Matilde Hidalgo's life has been honored in many ways. In 2004, a movie director named César Carmigniani made a film about her called "Matilde, la dama del siglo" (Matilde, the Lady of the Century). Almost ten years later, Carmigniani directed another movie about her, "La dama invencible" (The Invincible Lady). This movie showed her life between 1907 and 1924, when she lived in Machala.

On November 21, 2019, Google celebrated her with a special Google Doodle. This was to honor what would have been her 130th birthday.

Images for kids

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  Matilde Hidalgo, a pioneering Ecuadorian physician and activist.

See also

In Spanish: Matilde Hidalgo para niños