Language and learning norms constitute the biggest constraint for refugee learners attempting to access education in Uganda because they struggle to demonstrate competencies in English despite acquiring them in their local language (Arabic, French, or Swahili). Learners are assigned to lower levels, contributing to misalignment between their cognitive and linguistic levels. This misalignment, in turn, leads to negative coping mechanisms that result in disengagement, disruption, and dropout. To address this challenge, Young African Refugees for Integral Development (YARID), a refugee-run organization, and Street Child, an international organization specializing in education in emergencies, collaboratively conceptualized and created a simpler, more scalable, and sustainable program to help refugee learners acquire foundational skills in English and thus making it possible to transition into state schools in Uganda. This program is called Ladder to Learning (LTL). LTL exemplifies a low-cost, localized approach that infuses literacy and numeracy education with dynamic activities to enhance learning outcomes for refugee learners. This article examines how LTL has enhanced both the integration and retention of refugee students in Ugandan schools, creating new pathways for their educational success.