Neema's Inspiring Journey from Graphic Design to Front-End Engineering and Music Entrepreneurship

Neema Adam, a front-end engineer at ClickPesa, embraces the challenges and warmth of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, her new home.
Her experiences at Mbeya University of Science and Technology laid the foundation for her role in building cross-border internet transaction infrastructure.

Neema Adam’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of passion and dedication. Currently residing in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Neema serves as a front-end engineer at ClickPesa. Originally hailing from Arusha, her journey led her to embrace the challenges and warmth of her new city. While Dar es Salaam offers a different atmosphere than her hometown, it was her experiences at the Mbeya University of Science and Technology, where she pursued studies in telecommunications and engineering, that provided the strong foundation for her current role.

At ClickPesa, Neema plays a crucial role in building the infrastructure for cross-border internet transactions at minimal costs. However, her talents extend beyond the world of coding. Neema’s deep passion for music led her to co-found FlexBeats, a platform dedicated to African music producers, providing them with a platform to present and sell their beats to a global audience. Neema’s Spotify playlists, featuring unique genres like amapiano, reflect her profound love for music and her commitment to supporting African talent.

A Natural Curiosity: From Design to Coding

Neema’s journey into the world of coding began with a fascination for Adobe Illustrator. As a young graphic designer, around the age of 11, she admired the software’s design and user experience. This early exposure piqued her curiosity about software development, setting her on the path to becoming a developer. While life’s ambitions may change—from childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut to realistic goals such as launching FlexBeats—Neema’s primary desire remains consistent: creating products that simplify people’s lives. One of her recent inspirations is to develop an open-source time tracking tool, driven by her dissatisfaction with existing applications.

Neema’s introduction to the world of blockchain came through her work on GetPaid, a product designed to reduce transaction fees for freelancers. As a former freelancer herself, Neema deeply empathized with the challenges of high transaction fees faced by freelancers, especially when dealing with international clients. She is passionate about addressing significant issues, such as the barriers African entrepreneurs encounter when trying to establish online businesses. Many popular payment methods, like Stripe, are often inaccessible in several African countries. Neema’s work aims to eliminate such hindrances and open doors to global opportunities for aspiring online entrepreneurs.