H&P Journey: Mamadee Kamara
Mamadee Kamara's first few years of life sound more like a wartime drama than real life. After being born in West Africa, his parents relocated the family to Jamaica. During a trip back to Africa to when he was five, civil war broke out and Mamadee was kidnapped by a rebel army. After many years of conflict, he was rescued by the Red Cross and brought to Austin, Texas, where he was reunited with his family.
Mamadee and his family made Texas home. In school, he set out to master the English language. He graduated high school and went on to Los Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas where he was a running back for the football team.
In 2010, Mamadee took his first job in the oilfield - and started his journey with H&P. It was rough breaking out, he said, and he left for a short time to work for a different drilling company. However, H&P’s culture brought him right back. “H&P always treats their employees like family instead of just workers,” he said. “Everyone makes sure that safety is the top priority every day." Actively C.A.R.E. isn’t just a core value at H&P, it's a lifestyle on the rigs.
The job is about drilling, yes, but it's also about looking out for each other, said Mamadee. While his English is good, he continues to work on the day-to-day nuances as well as industry terminology with the help of the crew. “They help me break down the language to understand what is being said,” he mentions as a way they look out for each other. “They are an extended family for me.” Mamadee is still reaching for the goal of "mastering" the English language, he added, and when he does, he will have conquered eight different languages.
Mamadee has been on his current rig since July of 2022 and his infectious smile and work ethic makes an impact on the crew each day. Recently, he helped identify a potential hazard and his quick action prevented a possible accident on site. "H&P’s culture promotes looking out for one another and keeping everyone safe," said Mamadee. He took this to heart by demonstrating that safety culture and was awarded a corporate Recognition & Reward1 (R&R) for his efforts.
During his hitches off, he spends time with his six children and wife, Kristina, at their home in Texas. They like to travel when possible and experience new things. Though life it busy now, he wouldn't change a thing. He goes on to say “I have the drive to continue gaining more knowledge to advance my career here.” Currently, he is working to expand his knowledge and become a motorhand at H&P ... a motorhand fluent in eight languages.
1 The R&R program at H&P recognizes and rewards any employee for proactively controlling and removing exposures (C.A.R.E.) that could cause a serious injury or fatality (SIF) across ALL H&P workplaces – from the rig to the office.