Across her years with MSF, certain moments have stayed with her. She remembers her first posting, in a maternity ward, when a woman arrived almost twenty-four hours after delivering the first of her twins. The second baby had not come. Everyone believed the newborn had died. When she started resuscitation, the baby’s heart revived. “He recovered quickly and was fine.” She still describes it as a miracle. Moments like these give her work purpose. “Seeing patients get better and walk home again. That is my joy.”

Her journey has brought challenges. In the early years, she sometimes felt unheard, either because she was a woman or a foreigner. Yet she also recalls strong support from national colleagues and unexpected advantages. “In two Middle Eastern countries, as a woman, I could enter all areas of the hospital. A man cannot enter the maternity ward, even if he is a doctor.” Navigating cultures with sensitivity and respect has become one of her strengths.

She loves the rich mix of languages and foods encountered along the way. “Every country has something delicious. I even asked for recipes.” Learning local expressions helps her speak to the mothers she serves. After many missions in East Africa, she now switches easily into basic Swahili.

Twenty years after her first mission, Misato carries the same resolve. Quietly and with conviction, she continues to hold to a belief that guides her life: every person deserves a chance. She is currently in Chad, serving as the Medical Activities Manager for the MSF project in N’Djamena.