Lalitpur, Jan. 22 -- In a small shop in Oku Bahal in Lalitpur, Purna Kumar Awale is laying the final touches on the head of a statue of Buddha. In a self-built workstation, the 43-year-old works carefully, the same way he has for the past 24 years.

But the more recent of those 24 years have been tough for Awale and others in the centuries-old metal-sculpting trade.

"Earlier, everyone who was into metal sculpting did really well. The money was really good. Within just three years in this business, I had managed to earn enough money to build a house and send my children to private school," said Awale. "But the business started slowing down from 2010."

That was around the time many artisans started heading to China to work there for busin...