Meanwhile, Alem had to appear in court several times to defend his application for refugee status. His father returned to England, because it had become very unsustainable in Ethiopia. He lived in a refugee center. Alem is sent to school, and is a studious boy who reads a lot. His school friends prepare a protest against the verdict of the court (which is to deport him back to Ethiopia). This made a big difference and Alem was even in the news. Immediately afterwards, though, his father is shot by an unknown person. This makes the court decide, finally, that Alem should stay in his foster home (the Fitzgerald family).