comparable areas and in any case extremely expensive to conduct interviews in these areas, even if they could be found. Consequently the evaluation used a mixed-method design that combined a number of different data sources and that used triangulation to assess the validity and consistency of information obtained from different sources. The evaluation combined the following elements:

- The evaluation was based on a program theory model that described the steps and processes through which the project was expected to achieve its economic and social impacts and that identified contextual factors that might affect implementation and outcomes. The theory model also strengthened construct validity by explaining more fully the wide range of changes that road construction was expected to achieve so that impacts could be assessed on a set of quantitative and qualitative indicators. Some of the unanticipated outcomes that were identified in this way included: strengthened social relations among relatives and friends living in areas that were previously difficult to reach, and strengthened and widened informal support networks as people were able to draw on financial, in-kind and other support from a geographically broader network.

- Quantitative survey data was obtained from a stratified sample of households along the road who were interviewed three times during and after the road construction (the evaluation started too late for a pre-test measure)

- The baseline conditions of the project population prior to road construction were “reconstructed”  by combining: recall of  the time and cost for travel to school, to reach a health center, to transport produce to markets, and to visit government agencies in the nearest towns; with information from key informants (teachers, health workers, community leaders etc); and data from secondary sources. Estimates from different sources were triangulated to test for consistency and to strengthen the reliability of the estimates.

- Data on comparison groups, before, during and after road construction were obtained from a number of secondary sources. Information on school on attendance by sex and age were obtained from the records of a sample of local schools. In some cases the data also included the villages from which children came so that it was possible to compare this information with recall from the interviews in project villages. Records from local health clinics were obtained on the number of patients attended and the medical services provided. Unfortunately the records did not permit an analysis of the frequency of visits of individual patients so it was not possible to estimate whether there were a relatively small number of patients making frequent use of the clinics or a much larger number making occasional visits. Most of the local agricultural markets were cooperatives that kept records on the volume of sales (by type of produce and price) for each village so this provided a valuable comparison group. It was planned to use vehicle registration records to estimate the increase in the number and types of vehicles before and after road construction. However, qualitative observations revealed that many drivers “forgot” to register their vehicles so this source was not very useful.

- Process analysis was used to document the changes that occurred as road construction progressed. This combined periodic observation of the number of small businesses along the road, changes in the numbers of people travelling and the proportions on foot, using animal traction, bicycles and different kinds of vehicles.

22