After modernisation theory and dependency theory were created and yet still didn't succeed in improving development for the poor, other approaches like the participatory approach were established to achieve development for the underdeveloped.

The participatory development approach works in a way that involves people who will be benefiting in the development process. By doing this the people will be able to create and build for themselves. This approach allows people to learn to rely on themselves by being partners in the development process, so this means that the participatory approach makes it easy to share information between the community people and the all stakeholders.

As much as the participatory approach involves people in the development process, it has challenges aswell, for example in a country like South Africa where some people are still living in poverty, it becomes hard for some community members to fully participate because of lack/ poverty, and also a lack of technology and coordination in these communities becomes a challenge. Corruption from the local elites also plays a big part in causing challenges that prevent achieving participatory development.