The Anqkor Wat Artisan Company(AWAC) was established with French assistance in 1992.The structure of this company and the activities are very relevant to ourproposed initiatives in rural enterprises development - Orissa handicraftpark, Tripura Bamboo Mission, Pochampally Handloom Park, etc. AWAC was established with the purpose of providing structured training and employment for local poor people and provide employment opportunity. The craftsman have formed a association and hold 20% equity in the company which was also the model suggested by RCM for the Orissa arts & craftsmen.The photographs of the centre also has basic information on the skill training as well as duration of the course.
The project was initially promoted through overseas assistance (French) and today it is a profit making company, with the profits being ploughed back to the development of the artisans.
It has a central workshop, high-end sales shop, tourism and other amenitiesa s Hub, and some artisan activities in clusters as Spokes. In the centralworkshop, about 6 crafts are operated with artisans working. The visitors are taken through the workshop. Thus the workshop serves the objectives ofbeing a shop floor as well as tourism. The workhops buildings are basicfunctional structures with local architecture style.
The artisans working in the project are minority share holders of the company, through their association, while the majority stake is held by the founder of the project. This is something very similar to what Fab India does in India and also what ILFSCDI have been planning to do in some clusters in the form of producer companies.