Can infrastructure really change lives in rural communities?

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Can infrastructure really change lives in rural communities?

The importance of a climate resilient approach in the rehabilitation of existing rural roads

Measuring the Impact of Enga Highway

Transport infrastructure has the power to change how communities live, work, and grow. For decades, the success of transport infrastructure has been measured by outputs: kilometres of road built, budgets spent, and timelines met. But these metrics only tell part of the story. What they often miss is one of the most important questions: “What actually changed for the people who use the road every day?” This question becomes even more critical in the context of climate change and its growing impact on transport infrastructure, particularly rural roads. Many roads in developing countries were originally built to standards that no longer reflect current climate conditions, making them increasingly vulnerable to damage and failure. As a result, rehabilitation and upgrading efforts require a fundamentally different approach that explicitly accounts for climate risks and integrates design features that enhance long-term resilience. Only by adopting this approach can infrastructure investments deliver lasting, positive impacts on the livelihoods of the communities they serve.

The rehabilitation of the Enga Highway in Papua New Guinea offers a powerful opportunity to explore this, and to realize that long team impact is actually achievable through climate resilient engineering approach. 

Infrastructure Changes Communities, But Measuring Impact Isn’t Easy

There are 67 kilometres of the Enga Highway that run through one of the most remote and mountainous regions in Papua New Guinea, forming a critical link between rural communities and essential services. For years, deteriorating road conditions limited mobility, restricted access to healthcare and education, and constrained economic activity.

When the rehabilitation of the road started in 2012, using climate-resilient engineering approaches and solutions, the expectation was clear that improved infrastructure would lead to improved lives. The expectation was that the road would maintain its good structural condition even under the conditions of climate change. 

But proving that link is not straightforward. Infrastructure operates within complex systems. Changes in mobility affect access to markets. Access to markets influences income. Income shapes health, education, and long-term opportunity. Capturing these interconnected effects requires a deeper, more human-centered approach to data.

A New Way to Measure What Matters

To better understand these impacts, AnyWay Solutions partnered with Rural Senses to conduct a comprehensive impact assessment of the Enga Highway.

The goal was to move beyond outputs and measure real outcomes. Using a mixed-methods approach, the assessment combined:

  • Quantitative data (travel times, transport costs, trip frequency)
  • Qualitative insights (community experiences, perceptions, and lived realities)
  • A structured Theory of Change linking infrastructure improvements to development outcomes

Through surveys and interviews with 174 stakeholders, including farmers, transport operators, households, healthcare workers, and local businesses, the study captured both the scale and the depth of change.

Enabled by Rural Senses’ technology platform, including in-person data collection and AI-supported analysis, the assessment preserved community voices while generating robust, decision-ready insights.

What the Data Reveals

The findings tell a compelling story of transformation. Following the rehabilitation of the Enga Highway:

  • Transport efficiency improved significantly, with travel times reduced and trip frequency increased
  • Farmers gained easier, faster access to markets, increasing the volume of goods transported
  • Businesses experienced higher customer flows and growing revenues
  • Access to healthcare improved, with faster emergency response times and better maternal outcomes
  • Students reached schools more easily, improving attendance and punctuality
  • Communities became more connected, with population growth along the corridor

These changes reinforced one another. Rehabilitated roads that maintain good condition for longer periods of time enable movement for many more years. Such movement enables access. Access enables opportunity.

From Data to Development Impact

One of the most important insights from the assessment is that resilient infrastructure which then maintains its good condition and level of serviceability for longer period of times, acts as a multiplier across development outcomes.

The Enga Highway contributes to several global development priorities, including:

  • Health and well-being, through improved access to medical services
  • Quality education, by reducing barriers to school attendance
  • Economic growth, by enabling market access and business expansion
  • Resilient infrastructure, through durable, climate-adapted design


These outcomes align closely with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating how targeted infrastructure investments can drive progress across multiple sectors simultaneously.

A Journey of Discovery

The Enga Highway impact assessment is part of a broader journey of understanding how infrastructure investments translate into real-world change.

It shows that long-lasting climate resilient infrastructure projects do change communities, and despite that, measuring that change may be complex, it is possible. After all, better measurement leads to better decisions, design and outcomes for surrounding communities.

To dive deeper into the data, explore stakeholder perspectives, and interact with the results, access the full Enga Highway Impact Assessment Report here:

Beyond the Road:
Measuring Real Impact

Infrastructure doesn’t just move vehicles — it transforms lives, livelihoods, and entire communities. Because to build better infrastructure, we first need to understand what truly matters.

Explore the full series 

Real impact

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AnyWay Solutions is pleased to announce the addition of Mariel Cabero to our global team as Tender Administrator, reinforcing our commitment to delivering sustainable, climate-resilient transport infrastructure across developing nations.

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Driving Climate-Resilient Transport Infrastructure 

AnyWay Solutions’ mission centers on supporting nations as they transition toward safer, more resilient, and sustainable transport systems. Mariel’s experience in civil engineering, cost control, and documentation management strengthens our ability to deliver on this mission. 

Her Philippine and international experience brings valuable perspective as AnyWay Solutions expands its portfolio of climate-resilient transport infrastructure initiatives. She will play a key role in ensuring that MDB-funded proposals are well-structured, competitive, and aligned with global standards that ultimately support countries in building infrastructure that can withstand climate-related stresses. 

A Strategic Addition to a Growing Global Team 

With an engineering foundation from Cebu Technological University and a career shaped by roles in both the field and the office, Mariel understands the technical and administrative dimensions of infrastructure development. Her attention to detail, multi-market expertise, and ability to manage simultaneous deliverables make her an ideal fit for AnyWay Solutions’ fast-growing tender and business development operations. 

We are excited to welcome Mariel and look forward to the impact she will help create as we expand our efforts to build resilient, sustainable, and inclusive transport solutions worldwide. 

Welcome to AnyWay Solutions, Mariel!

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Read the full article to learn more about infratech’s applications in the transportation sector in developing nations. Read it here 

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At AnyWay Solutions, innovation and purpose go hand in hand, and no one embodies that more than Keren Moshkoviz, whose work bridges global strategy, sustainable development, and technology. Based in Israel but working across continents, Keren plays a key role in shaping the company’s partnerships with multilateral development banks (MDBs) and expanding its global reach. For her, the heart of the job lies in the connection between innovation and real-world impact. “Every project we take on has the potential to improve lives and strengthen communities,” she says. “Knowing that our work directly touches people’s lives keeps me motivated.”

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A true believer in the power of teamwork, Keren thrives in the company’s collaborative, multicultural environment. Working with engineers, consultants, and partners from around the world, she values the diversity of perspectives that drive creativity and learning across the organization. “Every day brings new ideas,” she says. “I love that we’re a global team that’s always growing together.” That spirit of connection was on full display during the company’s 2024 strategy retreat in Manila, one of her favorite memories at AnyWay that she describes as a chance to align on vision, share insights, and strengthen bonds beyond the screen.

Outside of work, Keren finds balance in yoga, hiking, and nurturing her latest hobby, growing hydroponic herbs at home. “It’s like having a mini green lab in my kitchen,” she laughs, noting how it combines her love for innovation with her appreciation for nature. Her personal passions also reflect her professional values. She’s a strong advocate for gender equality and for using technology to create meaningful change in communities worldwide.

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Makipagtulungan tayo para sa mas ligtas, matibay, at matalino na imprastruktura para sa susunod na henerasyon.

(Let’s work together for safer, stronger, and smarter infrastructure for the next generation)

Rural Senses Impact Assessment: Measuring real-world impact using Earth Observation technology

Enga Highway Impact Assessment: Measuring real-world impact using Earth Observation technology

As part of our ongoing commitment to building sustainable, climate-resilient transport infrastructure, AnyWay Solutions has partnered with Rural Senses—an AI-powered platform for community-centered impact evaluation. 

 

This collaboration represents a pivotal step in measuring and enhancing the real-world impact of our projects in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By integrating Rural Senses’ participatory and data-driven methodologies, we are assessing the environmental, social, and economic benefits of our work more effectively.  

We are using the Rural Senses technology to assess the impacts of our work on the communities surrounding the Enga Highway where AnyWay’s climate resilient design and engineering solutions have played a key role in the highway’s rehabilitation and upgrade.

Using Earth Observation to Measure Real-World Impact

In this phase of the study, the evaluation uses mixed methods, leveraging Earth Observation (EO) data to complement the traditional process of in-person surveys used to understand communities’ needs and perceptions.  Through this process we can create a richer, more objective view of long-term development impact on the region, related to the work we have been involved in upgrading the highway. In doing so, we combine local insights from community engagement tools with our geospatial analytics and engineering expertise to track the actual impact on the surrounding areas.

EO as a Tool for Measuring Community / Economic Growth

Using  earth observation , we analyzed changes along the corridor of the Enga Highway, a 67kom long road, through the years 2017 to 2024. This period was chosen to track the years following the completion of the rehabilitation of the Highway in 2017, enabling us to collect data points that could be compared to the prior period. This included quantifiable signals of urban growth, visualized through color-coded land cover maps (see image), revealing significant expansion of built-up areas and agriculture development around towns adjacent to the highway. Through combining the on-the-ground surveys with EO technologies we link quantitative data on geographic changes and expansion with qualitative social and economic data from surveys. This also enables us to identify high-impact zones for future infrastructure investments and interventions.

 

Caption:  Sentinel-2 10m Land Use-Land Cover Time Series produced by Impact Observatory and Esri.  Above, is a clip of the Sentinel-2 10m Land Use-Land Cover Time Series data produced by Impact Observatory and Esri. When the slider bar is moved to the left, you can see the red areas indicating built-up areas of more densely populated areas in back in 2017. With the slider moved to the right, you can see there are areas with developed towns adjacent to the highway, signaling significant urban expansion within the area up to 2024.

Beyond A Map: A Multi-Dimensional View

In parallel with the earth observation technologies, AnyWay field staff have been conducting surveys throughout the community to gather qualitative data on the direct impacts to community-members. Using both anecdotal, in-person interviews and enhancing it with data collected through satellites allows us to achieve a multi-dimensional perspective that includes measurable geographic outcomes. When we overlay EO-derived land use changes with Rural Senses’ qualitative data—on employment, access to services, and community well-being—we start to build a multi-dimensional view of development. We will go more in depth

Forward Looking – The future is here

At AnyWay Solutions, our goal is not just to provide designs and solutions that are focused on climate resiliency for transport infrastructure but also to ensure it contributes to long lasting, inclusive development. With partners like Rural Senses and tools like Earth Observation, we’re changing how impact is measured and being evaluated in developing nations.

Read more about the different phases of the Rural Senses impact assessment of Enga Highway project here:

Rural Senses: Building a Theory of Chang

Meet Dudu Shtengel – A growth-focused advisor

Meet Dudu Shtengel – A Growth-Focused Advisor

As a Stabilization Consultant at AnyWay Solutions, Dudu plays a pivotal role in helping clients reimagine road infrastructure through innovative stabilization techniques. His work focuses on the rehabilitation and upgrading of roadways, seamlessly integrating cutting-edge products with forward-thinking, climate-resilient design principles. With a firm belief in sustainability and durability, Dudu sees that every project he contributes to is structurally sound, environmentally conscious, and future-ready.

What initially drew Dudu to AnyWay Solutions was more than just the work—it was the people. He was inspired by the dynamic blend of collaboration and innovation that resonated through the team, a culture where ideas are welcome. Though he began his journey at AnyWay gradually, Dudu’s commitment, curiosity, and proactive spirit quickly accelerated his involvement. Today, he is widely recognized as one of the company’s trusted advisors, valued not only for his deep technical knowledge but also for his thoughtful approach and strategic insight.

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One region that holds a special place in Dudu’s heart is Papua New Guinea. “What I enjoy most about my job is working with my team in PNG,” he shares. “I am very proud of the projects that we have amassed in that region.” Over time, Papua New Guinea has become more than just a work destination—it has become a second home. Dudu now divides his time between there and his native Israel, bringing a truly global perspective to his work.

Looking ahead, Dudu remains driven by a clear vision: to help AnyWay Solutions expand its impact, strengthen its market presence, and continue delivering climate-resilient transport infrastructure solutions that leave a lasting, positive footprint on the communities they serve. His journey is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and understanding what matters.

Meet Matt Fisher – Guidance and Oversight

Meet Matt Fisher - Guidance and oversight

Matt serves as the Chief Legal Officer of The Metrontario Group, which is the parent organization of AnyWay Solutions. In this capacity, he plays a key role in overseeing a diverse range of business ventures within the Metrontario Group’s extensive portfolio. These ventures span various industries, including residential and commercial real estate development and management, nuclear medicine, marine agriculture and consulting engineering for climate resiliency, to name just a few. 

Matt has played an active role in AnyWay Solutions since its inception over 25 years ago, having co-founded the company alongside Zeevik Halber, the CEO, and Alex Campbell, the Director of Engineering. Throughout his career, Matt has thrived on the camaraderie and shared sense of humor that exists within the company. He values the close-knit, eclectic team of employees who are spread out across the globe, working together to achieve their common goals. 

One of Matt’s most cherished memories from his work with AnyWay Solutions dates back to a project in the early years of the company. AnyWay played a critical role in building soil block homes for a struggling community located just outside of Johannesburg, South Africa. This experience was particularly impactful for Matt as he witnessed firsthand the difference that his team’s work could make in the lives of people in developing regions. It was a defining moment that shaped his understanding of the positive social impact that the company could have. 

Since that pivotal project, AnyWay Solutions has continued to contribute to numerous infrastructure projects in developing regions around the world. The company remains committed to its mission of connecting communities through the development of infrastructure that prioritizes both accessibility and climate resilience. As the team moves forward, it continues to innovate and expand its reach, always striving to make a lasting impression on the communities it serves. 

Looking ahead, Matt is excited about the prospect of further expanding AnyWay Solutions into new countries and regions. “I’m confident that our people will continue to forge meaningful relationships and have a positive impact, wherever we go,” he says, reflecting on the company’s promising future. 

Matt Fisher headshot