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How your £50 can change a life in Africa
Yes - the chocolate is gone and the egg hunt is over.
But if you’re thinking about fresh starts this new tax year, there’s another kind of opportunity worth paying attention to.
Season 2 of Smug Money is here, and we’re kicking off with Ray Coyle, CEO of Energise Africa - a platform connecting UK investors with clean energy projects across Sub-Saharan Africa.
This is real-world impact, not just numbers on a screen. We’re talking about children able to do homework after dark. Boda-boda riders boosting incomes by up to 60 per cent by switching to electric bikes. Communities moving away from kerosene and seeing real improvements in health and quality of life.
It’s a reminder that where your money goes doesn’t just shape your returns - it shapes the world around you.
Through Energise Africa, investments start from £50, with many projects offering fixed returns of around six to eight per cent. They can also be held in an IFISA, making them tax-efficient as well as impactful.
Used thoughtfully, IFISAs can sit alongside your cash savings, investments or pension – adding something those often can’t offer: a direct line between your money and real-world change.
Listen to the episode
If you’ve ever wondered whether your money could do more – or what impact investing really looks like in practice – this is a great place to start.
🎧 Listen to Smug Money featuring Ray Coyle
And if you want to go further, download our Good Guide to Investing for Impact with IFISAs, sponsored by Ethex and Triodos Crowdfunding.
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 minutes to learn more.
Good With Money is now on Substack! Follow us for regular ethical money guidance - helping you bank, save and invest in line with your values.
How to build an ethical ISA
If you want your ISA to do more than just grow your money, you’re not alone.
More people are starting to look beyond the tax-free wrapper and ask a bigger question: what is my money actually supporting?
Building an ethical ISA doesn’t mean starting from scratch. It’s about making a series of small, informed choices - from your everyday bank to where and how you invest.
That might mean switching to a bank like Triodos Bank, choosing savings providers that fund social and environmental projects, or using apps and platforms that make it easier to invest in line with your values.
For those looking to go further, options like IFISAs through Ethex or Energise Africa can offer a more direct link between your money and real-world impact – while ready-made ethical portfolios and advisers can help take the guesswork out of investing.
The key is to look under the surface. Not all “green” or “ethical” options are created equal, and understanding where your money goes is just as important as the returns it delivers.
Want your money to do more? Meet the Good Eggs
Most of us want our money to do more than simply grow.
But knowing where to start - and who to trust - isn’t always easy.
The Good Egg mark is our independent seal of approval for financial providers that meet high standards for people, planet and customers - helping cut through greenwashing and marketing spin.
To earn it, organisations are assessed on what they finance and invest in, as well as how they treat customers, staff and communities.
Organisations that have earned the mark include business bank Unity Trust, online pensions provider PensionBee, sustainable bank Triodos, Ecology Building Society, clean energy investment firm Thrive Renewables, and ethical financial advisers EQ Investors, Path Financial and Switchfoot Wealth.
Curious what it takes to be a Good Egg - or whether your company could join them? Find out more here.
Featured guide:
The Good Guide to Investing for Impact with IFISAs
Ever wondered what your ISA is actually doing?
For many people, investing can feel distant - numbers on a screen rather than something tangible. And while holding cash can feel safe, it doesn’t always feel meaningful. But what if your ISA could do more?
From renewable energy and social housing to healthcare and community projects, there are ways to connect your money to real-world outcomes - while still working towards a return.
That’s where Innovative Finance ISAs (IFISAs) come in.
In our new guide, The Good Guide to Investing for Impact with IFISAs, created with Ethex and Triodos Crowdfunding, we explain how they work, what your money can fund, and how to decide if they’re right for you.
IFISAs aren’t like cash savings - your capital is at risk, returns aren’t guaranteed, and your money may be tied up for several years. But used thoughtfully, they can play a valuable role for people who want their money to work harder in more ways than one.
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