File:Meet Mercy Corps Team Brown Longok Bulasio.jpg

English: As part of our Meet Mercy Corps series, we’re celebrating some of our incredible staff members around the world. Meet Brown, a Logistics Officer in Uganda.

Tell us a bit about yourself My name is Brown Longok Bulasio and I joined Mercy Corps Uganda two years ago as Logistics Officer. I have a busy office role working with and supporting all of our field programming. In Mercy Corps Uganda we train farmers and cooperatives in business skills and help link them to markets so that they can get the best price for crops. We also spend time in rural villages promoting maternal-child health and nutrition programmes, including village-level mother groups that encourage healthy behaviour change.

When I’m not at work I spend lots of time with my energetic 6-month old son Brown Longok Bulasio Jr. and daughter Brown Malac Ayeng Jr. I’m also running businesses and will be expanding outlets this year.

What does a typical day look like for you? Very busy! My day starts early, I get up around 5:00am to jog and exercise around. Then I ride to work which takes about 5 – 7 minutes from my house.

Once I’m in the office I set key priorities for the day, every day can be different. I spend a lot of time coordinating with programme staffs, ensuring that their programmes are running efficiently and effectively. This involves meetings with staffs and suppliers, trainings, logging information. I believe that my roles in Operations is vital to ensure that Mercy Corps’ programming in Uganda is the best it can be.

I finish work at 5.30 and then spend some time for my personal development reading articles and books, call the sales persons to check on the progress of the business before riding home and spending the evening with my son and daughter. I usually get to bed about midnight! Long days but they are worth it.

What motivates you? My son and daughter not leaving out my sweet mother, I want more for them and other children, mothers in Uganda. So I ensure that I set an example of hard-work and love. I’m everything and I take this responsibility very seriously. They know that if you work hard, you will have a better life.

Tell us about something that makes you really proud about your programme? My country has a large number of young, energetic and empowered staff who are committed to seeing programmes through and empowering people in my country. The thing that makes me really proud at the moment is the commitment of one team who are quick to change their community approach by listening to their needs and taking action. I think this is innovative and will have a lasting impact on this community. Their commitment makes me proud.

What do you do in your spare time? As I’m a businessman I rarely have spare time. On the weekends if Brown Jr. and Ayeng Jr. are with their mother I will dedicate my free time to addressing business concerns, sometimes from 9am – 10pm!

I also enjoy leisure, singing, dancing and playing with my siblings. They are the most important persons in my life and I love spending my time with them not leaving out my sweet mother.