The participatory approach emerged as a response to the limitations of traditional top-down models of development and research, which often ignored the knowledge, experiences, and needs of local communities. Before the emergence of participatory methods, most development projects and research studies were designed and implemented by experts, government officials, or external agencies with little or no involvement of the people who were directly affected. These conventional approaches assumed that specialists possessed superior knowledge and that communities were merely passive recipients of development initiatives. Over time, this approach was criticized for failing to address local realities, resulting in ineffective and unsustainable outcomes. The historical roots of the participatory approach can be traced to the 1940s and 1950s through the concept of action research developed by Kurt Lewin. Lewin proposed that research should not only generate knowledge but also promote social change by involving people in identifying problems and implementing solutions. His work emphasized collaboration between researchers and participants, laying the foundation for participatory research methods. During the 1960s, many newly independent countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America adopted centralized planning models for development. Although these efforts aimed to reduce poverty and promote economic growth, many projects failed because they overlooked the social, cultural, and economic conditions of local communities. This led scholars and development practitioners to question expert-driven approaches and search for more inclusive methods of planning and research. An important milestone in the evolution of the participatory approach was the contribution of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire. In his influential